The Marriage in the Mission
by LJLanham
Summary: Another AU of what could have happened when Brennan returned from Maluku with a big secret...
1. Surprise!

**AN- Often times, for me… a story jumps out from one little scene that I can't get out of my head. This is one of those scenes. This opening chapter is a little shorter than I usually like, but it had to end where it did… **

**This story is a bit darker than what you're used to seeing from me, but I think you'll still enjoy it. Since I'm trying something new, your reviews are especially important. Please take a minute to let me know what you think.**

The Marriage in the Mission

Chapter 1 – Surprise!

Temperance Brennan was nervous. She knew that she had made the right decision, but that didn't make this afternoon's task any easier. She knew that Angela would be upset for not having been told sooner, but this was news that had to be shared in person.

She hadn't been back to the lab yet. She'd decided that there was so much to be done upon her return that it made sense to delay her return to work by an extra week or so. Angela and Hodgins had returned from Paris earlier in the month and were already back to work at the lab. Brennan checked her watch and realized that it was time she got going if she was going to be on time meeting her friend for lunch.

The sun was warm on her shoulders as walked down the block toward the Royal Diner. She really had missed the city. It surprised her how much DC had truly become her home. She loved this neighborhood-the way the big corporate buildings gave way to the historic brownstones, the cars passing by while people walked idly along the sidewalks, the trees that lines those same sidewalks-it all gave her a sense of peace that came from being "home."

She felt a rush of emotion as she opened the door to the diner, and smiled sadly as she looked to the table in the back of the room-her heart halfway expecting to see Booth sitting there, her head knowing that wasn't meant to be.

She was happy however, to see Angela and Cam. Her friends stood to greet her, and as she approached the table Angela rushed forward to pull her in to a welcoming hug.

"Sweetie!" she squealed. "You have no idea how good it is to see you!"

Before Brennan could answer, Angela was squeezing her again.

"It's good to see you too, Ange," Brennan said when Angela finally let her go.

"Welcome back, Doctor Brennan," Cam said as the three were seated.

Brennan sat with her hands in her lap and listened as Cam and Angela filled her in on what had been going on at the lab in her absence.

"What can I get for you?" the waitress asked without looking up.

"Just some iced tea for now, please," Brennan answered as the woman looked over at her.

"Doctor Brennan!" she exclaimed. "It's good to have you back. Are we going to be seeing that dreamy partner of yours any time soon?"

"I'm sure Booth will be in soon," Brennan answered. "He's been without Marie's pie for far too long."

"It's really nice to see you," the waitress said. "I'll be right back with your tea and to take your lunch orders."

As the waitress walked away, an awkward silence fell over the table.

Brennan felt what she knew Angela and Booth would call "butterflies" in her stomach. She knew she should speak up, but she wasn't exactly certain how to begin the conversation.

"Bren," Angela finally said. "You've barely said two words. What about you? How was Maluku? I've hardly heard from you in the last few months. Is everything okay?"

"Fine, Ange," Brennan said, nervously twisting the ring on her finger under the table. "Everything is good, actually."

"Doctor Goodman has been very impressed with your reports from the dig," Cam said.

"Yes," Brennan said, nodding. "The find was significant, and my involvement will be good for the Jeffersonian in both endowments and press."

The waitress returned with Brennan's tea and took their lunch orders.

"Come on, Bren," Angela prodded. "I know you're proud of the work in Maluku, and you should be. You always love those expeditions, but give me something juicy! It's been a year, Brennan. I'm dying here. Have you seen Booth since you've been back?"

"Yes," Brennan answered, her eyes not meeting her friend's.

It was then that Angela began to notice her friend's nervousness. She realized that there was something going on-something Brennan was unwilling to talk about. That was nothing new, Brennan was often reticent, but she was never nervous. Never.

"What's going on, Brennan?" Angela asked as the waitress returned with their lunches. She kept her eye on her friend as she reached out to take her salad from the waitress. She nearly dropped the glass she'd been drinking from when she noticed the sunlight glinting off of something. It was then that she first saw the wide platinum band on Brennan's hand-her left hand.

Something snapped in her and Angela jumped out of her chair.

"Oh. My. God. Brennan," she said, almost angrily. "What did you do? Is that a wedding ring? How could you?"

Brennan just looked at her friend as she continued to rant. She didn't know if Angela actually expected an answer to any of the questions she was hurling at her, and she didn't have the words with which to answer, anyway.

"You got _married_? What is _wrong_ with you? I can't believe you. You can't make a commitment to Booth, but you come back from Indo-freaking-nesia _married_?"

"Angela," Brennan said, finding her voice. "Please calm down and let me explain."

"Explain? Explain what? How you threw away the best thing that is _ever_ going to happen to you? Does Booth know about this? It's going to kill him!"

Brennan stood, facing her best friend as she felt the sting of tears in her eyes. She hated that she'd been so emotional lately…that she'd been so vulnerable since… since it happened. Angela's vehemence took her by surprise, but her own reaction surprised her even more. She didn't say a word. She just stood there and took it, willing the tears not to fall.

"Angela," Cam said, "let's think for a minute. We don't know the whole story."

"You're damned right we don't," Angela shot back. "This is cold, Bren-even for you."

Cam returned to watching the exchange in stunned silence. She couldn't believe that the usually happy-go-lucky artist was being so brutal to her friend, but had to admit to feeling the same protective loyalty toward Booth. Angela was right about one thing-the idea of Brennan married to someone else would kill him. She was startled to see the man in question walking up to the front door.

"Angela," Cam warned, but the other woman obviously didn't hear her.

"I don't even know who you are anymore," Angela said quietly as she sank down into her chair.

Seeley Booth was smiling as he walked up to the diner. He noticed Angela sit down as he opened the door, but he didn't notice the looks on the women's faces. His focus was on Brennan as he walked up behind her.

"Booth," Cam said warily and Brennan spun around and threw herself into his arms.

He didn't notice her tears as she buried her face in his chest.

"Hey, baby," he said, still smiling as he brought his left hand up to cup the back of her head.

Angela thought she was going to be sick when she saw the platinum band glistening on his finger.


	2. Comfort Food

**AN- Thanks for the reviews… keep them coming! This ride might take a while. So, I've changed the subcategory from "angst" to "romance," because while there will be some tough times, I'm not sure it will be angsty enough to be considered an "angst" fic. (That's good news for some of you!) But it's not going to be all sunshine and roses. That's what I meant about it being darker than my other fics. **

Chapter 2 – Comfort Food

Booth held Brennan close. He loved being able to finally have her in his arms.

"Did you tell them our news?" he asked.

He felt her shaking her head against his chest. He thought he her heard her sniff and realized that he did feel moisture on his shirt.

"She didn't get a chance," Angela said dejectedly, "before she was attacked by her best friend."

"Attacked?" Booth asked, absently running his hands over Brennan's back. "What the hell happened here?"

He placed his hands on her shoulders and pushed gently back so he could see her face.

"Baby, what happened?"

His heart sank when he saw the tracks of her tears. She'd been crying way too much these past few months. This was supposed to be a happy occasion. She had come to tell her best friend that they had gotten married. He couldn't imagine just what the hell it was that he'd walked in on, but he didn't like it at all. He never wanted to see that look on her face. That was one of the reasons they'd gotten married in the first place.

"Suddenly," Brennan said quietly. "I find that I no longer have an appetite. Booth, will you take me home, please?"

"Of course," he answered, wrapping his arm around her shoulders as she turned to pick up her bag. He glanced over her shoulder at their friends. Cam gave him a look of sympathy, and Angela mouthed, "I'm sorry."

When the two were alone in his new SUV, Booth turned to his wife.

"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked.

"Not really," she answered, looking out the window.

He expected as much and knew not to push her. He kept his attention on the road, occasionally glancing toward her as they drove through the neighborhood.

"I know she meant well," she said, finally.

"Who?" he asked. "Angela?"

"Yes. I think she thought she was defending you, but…"

"Defending _me_?" he asked, now even more confused.

"Yes, but it really hurt. She professes to be my best friend and yet she immediately thought the worst of me…"

"Maybe I'm off my game because we've been away so long," he said. "But I'm totally lost here. Bones, you're gonna have to tell me what happened…starting from the beginning, please."

"Okay," she answered. "I will. But we're almost home. Can it wait until then?"

**BnBnBnBnBnB**

Booth followed Brennan into her apartment, closed and locked the door behind them. She slipped off her shoes and headed toward the bedroom.

"Why don't you go and get comfortable while I get you something to eat?" he suggested. "You didn't touch your lunch."

"Okay," she said quietly without turning around. "I'm going to take a bath."

He waited a beat until she reached the end of the hall.

"Bones?" he called.

"Yes?"

"I love you."

"I love you, too," she answered and closed the bedroom door behind her.

Booth's mind reeled as he busied himself in the kitchen. What the hell could have happened to cause Angela to rip into her in his defense? Whatever it was, it had to have been really bad. He'd only seen that look on her face a few times… and too many of them were recent. He hated it, especially when he was the cause. He thought back to another time he'd seen that haunted look in her eyes. He had sworn never to let her feel that way again. Now, it was barely six months later and here they were. It was his job to protect her from that kind of pain. Damn it, he was failing her-again.

_The previous November:_

_He hurt like hell, and he didn't want to open his eyes. There wasn't a single spot on his body that wasn't throbbing in pain. Maybe that was a good thing; pain meant he wasn't dead. He squeezed his eyes shut tightly to steel himself against the pain from the light when he opened them. Slowly, he opened his eyes._

_To his shock and surprise, he was in a hospital-a real hospital, not a field hospital._

"_Welcome back, soldier," said the voice of an angel from the foot of his bed. "Let me go get the doctor."_

_A few minutes later, the nurse reappeared in the doorway next to a dark-haired man wearing scrubs. The man began poking and prodding him, making notes along the way._

"_Sergeant Major Booth," he said. "I'm Captain Rojas, your doctor. Do you know where you are?"_

"_Hospital?" Booth rasped, his throat felt like it was on fire._

"_You're at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center," Captain Rojas told him._

"_Germany?" Booth asked. It must be pretty bad if they'd flown him out to Germany. _

"_I'm pleased with your progress," the doctor said. "I need to run some tests to be sure you're healing properly. There doesn't seem to be any ill effects from your little nap, in fact I think it probably helped your organs to begin the healing process. There are some more tests that will tell us more. After that, there is someone who can't wait to see you."_

_Who could possibly be waiting to see him? One of his guys? Was someone else injured in the ambush? He let his mind wander, trying not to focus on the pain. It wasn't long before he'd drifted off to sleep._

**BnBnBnBnBnB**

_He slowly opened his eyes. The room was dim, the lights low and the curtains drawn. This time he really did hear the voice of an angel._

"_If you weren't such a mess, I'd kill you myself."_

_No, it couldn't be._

"_Bones?"_

"_Yes," she said, moving to his side. "Did you forget me again?" she asked sincerely._

"_Never," he answered weakly. "What are you doing here?"_

"_You were in a coma, Booth," she told him. "Where else would I be?"_

"_How long?" he asked._

"_You've been out for nearly two weeks," she said. "I've been here five days."_

"_How?"_

"_Rebecca emailed me."_

**BnBnBnBnBnB**

"Something smells good," she said, walking in to the kitchen.

"I just heated up your Miso from last night," he said. "You looked like you probably wouldn't want much."

"Thank you," she said, walking up next to him.

It surprised her how comfortable she'd become with the relationship. They had been married for almost six months, but they'd really only been together a few weeks.

"You know I'd do anything for you," he said, leaning in for a quick kiss.

"I think the sentiment is mutual," she replied.

"Yeah, Bones. I know."

She sat down on a counter stool and he brought her the bowl of soup and some fresh bread. He leaned against the counter and watched as she ate.

"So, are you ready to talk about what happened with Angela, yet?"

She sighed and set down her spoon.

"I overreacted," she said. "We both did, actually."

"What happened?"

"She saw my ring," she told him. "And before I had a chance to say anything, she assumed that I had married someone else and you would be devastated."

"So you were right about her defending me," he said. "You're getting pretty good at this psychology stuff."

"Daily appointments with Doctor Grayson will do that," she answered, taking a spoonful of her soup. "I have an appointment in the morning with the doctor she referred me to. I'd like you to go with me, if you can."

"Of course," he answered.

"Doctor Grayson said that she thinks I should probably see Doctor Delaney once a week, and that she'll want to see you occasionally as well."

"Whatever it takes," he answered. He could probably do for a bit of therapy himself. God knew he wasn't going to let Sweets in on what they'd been through. Doctor Grayson had been a godsend, and if she recommended this Doctor Delaney, then she should be pretty good, too. The biggest thing was making sure Bones was well. She'd healed physically, but the rest was going to take more time. He was just thrilled that she'd agreed to therapy. "Nice try, by the way."

"What are you talking about?" she asked, innocently.

"Changing the subject," he said. "Nice try. We weren't finished. What did Angela say to you? I know it must have been pretty bad, Bones. You were crying when I got there."

"It was bad," she said, honestly. "But it wasn't really that bad. I'm still so emotional all the time. That's why I think I overreacted. But it really did hurt, you know? Angela is supposed to be _my_ friend. My best friend. I'm happy that she cares for you, and rationally it makes me feel good to know that our friends would protect you so fiercely. I don't ever want to see you get hurt, but irrationally, it hurt me that she immediately took your side. What happened to that girl code she's always telling me about? She's my friend… she should have been happy for me no matter what. Even if I had married someone else," she said with a wink.

"Whoa, now," he said, laughing as he pulled her up and took her in his arms. "Let's not get crazy." He leaned in and kissed her gently. "You know, she's right. I would have been devastated if you'd married someone else." He kissed her again. "This past year has been crazy, but I wouldn't change it. I mean, we've been through hell and back and I would have loved to spare you the pain… but all of it is what brought us here, so I don't know if I can fault that."

"I know what you mean," she said. She held on to him tightly as she thought about some of those darkest moments.

_November:_

_It had been a long day at the dig site. Their discoveries were monumental and they were making good progress in cataloging the remains and artifacts, but it was a long and arduous process. After spending the past twelve hours at the excavation site and skipping the evening meal, all Brennan wanted was a shower and to curl up in her bunk for a few hours. When she got back to her quarters, she decided to log in to her email first. It had been several days since she'd heard from Booth and she was beginning to worry. _

_It had been about a month since she'd realized that it didn't matter if they were in DC together or if she was in Maluku and he was in Afghanistan… no matter where they were geographically, they were tied emotionally… inextricably. She'd realized she didn't want to fight it anymore and she'd told him so. Since then, his emails had become more like love letters and she wouldn't admit to anyone how much she looked forward to them._

_She sat down on her bunk and booted up her laptop. She glanced down the list of senders and was disappointed when she didn't see Booth's address. There was an unfamiliar address that caught her eye, and the subject line caused her heart rate to increase dramatically. It simply said, "Re: Booth, Urgent."_

_She opened the email and found that it was from Rebecca, who had gotten her email address from Parker. She read that Booth's unit had been out on a training mission when they were ambushed by insurgents. Two men were captured and two more were injured when the insurgents set off an explosive in their campsite. Booth had stepped in to protect the men and taken the brunt of the blast. He had been taken from a field hospital in Afghanistan to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany… he remained unconscious. The Army had not been able to locate Jared because he and Padme were off on their honeymoon, so they contacted Rebecca as Parker was Booth's next of kin. Although she hadn't been aware of the nature of their relationship, Rebecca knew that Brennan would want to know._

_She spent the next several days calling in myriad favors from everyone from the CIA to the State Department. She did everything short of calling the President, himself. While she was not able to ascertain the details of Booth's condition, she was finally able to secure clearance and transportation to Landstuhl and the following day, she was on a plane bound for Germany._

"So, what are you going to do about Angela?" Booth asked.

"I assume the proper thing to do would be to speak with her and let her know that I forgive her," she said.

"Why do I feel a _but_ coming on?"

"But, I think I want to let her stew for a while."

"Who are you and what have you done with my wife?"

"You love saying that, don't you?"

"I do," he answered. "I really do."

**You know what to do… review! :-)**


	3. Secrets and Lies

**AN- I know nothing about military bases or military protocols… I hope this isn't too off the mark, but if it is, forgive me. It kinda has to be the way I envisioned it for the story to work, LOL. Thanks for reading, and reviewing! All the alerts and favorites are awesome, but I love, love, love reading your comments. Even if you hate it… let me know. **

Chapter 3 – Secrets and Lies

"So, apparently," Angela said, "Booth and Brennan are _married._"

"No. way," her husband replied.

Wendell and Fisher sat silently drinking their coffee and absorbing the information. Four faces looked up as Cam made her way up the stairs into the lounge area.

"Angela," she said. "Don't you think you've already done enough?"

Nodding, Angela looked contrite as her focus shifted to her Jimmy Choos.

"Mr. Fisher, Mr. Bray," Cam said. "I believe there is an unidentified soldier on the platform waiting for your attention."

Both young men nodded simultaneously and made their way out of the lounge and down to the platform to get back to work. Once they were out of earshot, Cam turned to the couple.

"Really, Angela?" she asked. "Gossiping with the interns? Is that going make things up to Brennan?"

"Make things up to Brennan?" Hodgins asked. "What the hell happened at lunch?"

"You should ask your wife," Cam said. "But do it somewhere privately."

"Angie?" he asked.

"Let's go to my office."

Hodgins followed his wife to her office and closed the door behind them.

"Okay," he said. "I'm lost here, so spill."

"It started out great," she said sheepishly. "Cam and I got to the diner and waited for Brennan to show up. I was so excited when she came in that I jumped up and hugged her," she said with a sigh. "You know how much I've missed her, Jack. Anyway, she looked great, a little tired but really great. She always works too hard on those trips, so I wasn't really worried, you know? So, we sat down and got to talking. Cam and I told her everything about what was going on around here. It was then that I realized she was acting nervous. Really weird, right? I mean, Bren never gets nervous. So, I asked her about Booth and she acted, I don't know, kind of guilty. Then she reached out to take her plate from Sally and I got an eyeful of the ring. She's wearing this gorgeous eight millimeter platinum band, and I totally lost it. I ripped her a new one for getting married and for hurting Booth," she paused, tears forming in her eyes. "She asked me to let her explain and I just let her have it worse. I called her cold, Jack."

Angela was sobbing openly as her husband tried to console her.

"Then what happened, babe?" he asked softly.

"Booth came in, wearing a matching ring. Brennan asked him to take her home, and I never even found out how it happened. Why do you think they kept it a secret?"

**BnBnBnBnBnB**

_November:_

_By the time her plane landed at Ramstein Air Force Base, Brennan was beside herself. She met her escort at the hangar and asked to go directly to the Medical Center. _

_Upon arriving at the hospital, she ran into the same brick wall that she'd been up against for the past week. No one would give her information on Booth's condition. Finally, after invoking the name of a five-star General she'd worked with in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, she was given the name of Booth's doctor. She tracked him down to his office at the hospital._

"_Dr. Rojas," she said, entering without being invited. "I'm Dr. Temperance Brennan and I'm here about Sergeant Major Seeley Booth."_

"_Are you a relative, Dr. Brennan?"_

"_No," she answered with a frustrated sigh. "I am not. I am, however, his partner with the FBI, his emergency contact with the FBI and his medical proxy. I understand that none of that means anything to the Army. But I hope that you understand that I'm not leaving until I see Booth and get an update on his condition."_

"_Dr. Brennan," Rojas said. "I understand your concern and I can appreciate it. Unfortunately, regulations prohibit me from complying with your request. I can tell you that your friend is stable, though still unconscious. I'm sorry. That is all that I can tell you."_

"_I want to see him," she asserted._

"_Again, Dr. Brennan," Dr. Rojas said. "I apologize, but I am unable to allow that."_

"_Dr. Rojas," she said. "Do you have access to Booth's complete medical history?"_

"_Yes, Dr. Brennan, I do."_

"_So you are aware that two years ago, following surgery to remove a brain tumor, Booth was unconscious for four days…"_

"_I am aware."_

"_Are you also aware that I never left his side for those four days, Dr. Rojas?" she said. "He needs me," she added quietly._

_The doctor looked at her. It was obvious that she cared a great deal about his patient. Patients in Booth's condition often responded to the presence of a loved one. And he'd also heard about the woman who had pulled several strings just to be in this hospital. She was nothing if not tenacious. He decided he'd do some checking around and see what he could do about bending a few rules. He watched her. She was a woman on a mission and she was going to run herself into the ground before she got a chance to take care of her friend. _

"_I am sorry, Dr. Brennan," he told her. "I can't let you see him right now. You have had a long journey, and pardon me, but you look exhausted. Go to your hotel and get some rest. Let me see what I can do."_

"_I will be back," she relented. "First thing in the morning."_

**BnBnBnBnBnB**

_After the beautiful Doctor Brennan had gone, Rojas checked in on his patient and then set out to see what he could do for his determined young visitor. _

_When he returned from his rounds, he found a message on his desk from General Starke. He phoned back to the General who told him that without breaking regulations, he should do his best to give Doctor Brennan whatever it was that she needed. Doctor Temperance Brennan was definitely a friend of the US military. Whether it was participating in the recovery efforts in New York after 9/11, in New Orleans after Katrina, reclaiming lost soldiers in Kosovo, Iraq, and Afghanistan, or recovering genocide victims in Guatemala or Darfur…Doctor Brennan was there whenever asked and she never asked for anything in return. If seeing this soldier was going to give her peace of mind, then it was the least they could do._

_Doctor Rojas decided that the best thing for him to do was to keep Doctor Brennan apprised of Booth's condition as best he could without going into specifics, and then when the patient woke up, he'd allow her to see him. After that, it would be up to Sergeant Major Booth, anyway._

**BnBnBnBnBnB**

_The next morning, Brennan arrived at the hospital just after breakfast. She waited in Dr. Rojas' office while he made his rounds. When he came back, he set her down and told her what he felt he could about Booth's injuries. He had lost a lot of blood and suffered massive internal injuries. They'd removed his spleen and part of his liver. He had several broken ribs, a punctured lung and bruised kidneys. The doctor told her that his organs would heal, and rest was the best thing for him at the moment. Although they were concerned that he still hadn't awakened, the coma provided rest that was actually good for the recovery of his injuries. What they were most concerned with other than the fact that he hadn't awakened, was the fracture in his right femur. She asked to see his x-rays, but of course the doctor declined the request._

_He said that was all he could tell her and he sent her back to the visitors' waiting room. This time, he did promise to let her know if there was any change and that she could see Booth just as soon as he awakened. And she made him promise to tell Booth that she was there, even if he couldn't hear it._

_It went this way for the next two days. She spent hours in the visitor's room working on her laptop. She'd kept in touch with the team in Maluku, and she'd been able to keep up her involvement in the project. She'd tried to focus on her work, but her mind constantly drifted to the man she loved. Yes, she could admit now that she loved him. Booth had taught her that love was about more than endorphins and serotonin and that it didn't have to be ephemeral._

_He'd told her he'd still love her in thirty, or forty, or fifty years… and she believed him. What's more was that she knew she loved him, too. And she wanted to believe that she'd still love him in thirty, or forty, or fifty years, but she still wasn't sure she was capable. She needed to see him. She needed to talk to him. She made a decision._

_Brennan shut down her laptop and slid it into its protective sleeve. She tucked it into her messenger bag and slung the bag over her shoulder. She glanced at the clock. It had been about an hour since Dr. Rojas told her that he was going home and that she should go back to the hotel and get some rest, herself. She glanced around as she made her way to the elevator bays. She stepped into the first available car, but instead of going down to the lobby she chose the button that would take her to the Intensive Care Unit._

_She hadn't been watching Booth "detect" all these years for nothing. Paying attention to everything around her during her conversations with Dr. Rojas and the nurses, she'd been able to ascertain the number of the room that Booth was in. She stepped off the elevator, and without a moment's hesitation, she did what she should have done three days ago. She walked down the hallway and into Booth's room. She set her bag down on the floor by the door and walked over to his bedside._

"_Oh, baby," she whispered, using the pet name that he'd begun using with her over the past month. His face was bruised and his head bandaged. She reached down and took the hand that wasn't attached to the IVs and rubbed it between hers. "What did you do?" _

_This wasn't the way she'd pictured seeing him for the first time after they'd professed their love. She'd had the silly romantic notion that it would be like one of those old movies she loved so much. She thought it would be at the Reflecting Pool…she'd imagined him standing there by their bench, and she'd run into his arms. She never expected to see him like this. Not again._

_She didn't try to stop the tears that ran silently down her face as she continued whisper to him. It struck her that the woman she was with Booth was not the woman the rest of the world saw. With him, she didn't have to hide her emotions._

"_You promised me you wouldn't be a hero," she said. "But we both knew that was a lie when you said it. It's just like when you lie to children at Christmas, right? Sometimes you have to tell the people you love what they want to hear in order to protect them. This is the last time, Booth. You can't do that to me. You know that I function best with rationality and truth. I don't need you to protect me…"_

_She leaned down and placed a soft kiss against his forehead._

"…_but I do need you. So, damn it, wake up." Her demand seemed to lose a little of its vehemence as she whispered it. "Don't do this to me now. You made me open my heart, I can't do it alone. Please, baby. Wake up. I'm going to get in a lot of trouble for being here," she said, smiling through her tears. "And you're going to have to bail me out of it."_

_She pulled the chair from the corner of the room up to the side of the bed. She just sat and looked at him for a while. She talked to him, told him about all the things she'd been thinking about since she realized she was in love with him. She told him of her dreams for their future. She kept talking until her eyes began to droop. She leaned forward and rested her head on the bed next to his arm and closed her eyes._

_It was in that same position that Dr. Rojas found her the following morning._

"_Good morning, Doctor Brennan," he said as he walked into the room._

_Startled, Brennan jumped back from the bed._

"_Dr. Rojas," she said in reply._

"_I wondered how long it would take before I found you here," he said with a hint of a smile on his dark features. "Your reputation precedes you," he said. "I'm surprised it took this long."_

_She didn't speak, just looked at him, waiting for him to continue._

"_I could have you removed," he said. "But I've looked over Sergeant Booth's test results and his brain scan activity. It seems that he's responding to you"_

"_I told you he needed me," she said softly._

"_The nurses said you were a model visitor last night," he said. "Never got in their way… they said they wouldn't have known you were there if they hadn't seen you. I'm going to let you stay, but you have to let the professionals do their jobs. Stay out of the way when we're making rounds… that means you leave the room at least twice a day. It will be good for you to get out, take a walk, get something to eat…"_

"_You sound like Booth," she said with a smile. "I'll take care of me," she said. "You take care of him."_

**Now it's time to hit that little button and tell me what you think. :-) **


	4. Lemonade

**AN- Once again… thanks so much for the favorites, alerts and especially for the reviews! Keep them coming! This story is very close to my heart, and I'm glad to know you're enjoying it, too. For those of you who are worried about Angela, just be patient with me. This is a story of emotional discovery, so it might take a little while to get to things. But don't worry, we'll get there. **

Chapter 4 - Lemonade

Booth stood in the doorway, watching as Brennan moved about the apartment with grace. She was packing up some of her things and consolidating others to make room for his. He looked down at the Caller ID when his cell phone rang.

"Booth," he answered, walking down the hall to the bedroom.

"Hey, man," said the voice on the other line. "It's Hodgins. Welcome back."

"Yeah, you too."

"So, I hear congratulations are in order."

Booth smiled.

"Yeah. Thanks, man."

"So, listen," Hodgins said with a sigh, obviously dreading the point of his call. "I think our wives need to talk."

Booth let out an echoing sigh and brought his hand to the back of his neck, closing his eyes as he sat down on the bed.

"Yeah, they do," he said. "But they're going to have to work it out on their own. Bones will call Angela when she's ready."

"Angie really feels like crap."

"I don't want to be a dick here," Booth said. "But she should. I appreciate her looking out for me, but the way she laid in to Bones wasn't cool."

"She knows that, dude," Hodgins responded, a little defensively.

"I'm sorry, Hodgins. Look, we'll all talk soon, but these past couple of months have been hell for us, especially for Bones. She was just to the point where she was regaining her footing and her confidence when Angela shot her down. It's gonna take some time."

Booths comment was met with silence, as his friend didn't know what to say.

"If it helps," he went on, "she's already forgiven her. It's just going to be a while before she's ready to talk."

"It does," Hodgins replied. "Thanks."

Another long silence passed.

"Booth?"

"Yeah?"

"You take care of Dr. B."

"I intend to, Hodgins. Thanks. We'll talk soon, okay?"

"Yeah, sure. Later."

"Later."

Brennan walked into the bedroom as he snapped the phone shut.

"Who was that?" she asked.

"Hodgins."

"Oh," she said, sitting down next to him. She waited a moment before asking, "Is Angela okay?"

"Yeah, baby," he answered, taking her hand. "She'll be fine. She's a little upset about your confrontation, but she'll be all right."

"I should probably talk to her, she said.

"Probably," he answered. "But not until you're ready."

He brought her hand to his lips as she laid her head against his shoulder.

"I told him that you'd forgiven her," he said softly, rubbing her hand between his. "And you would talk to her when you're ready."

"Thank you," she said.

"Maybe after we talk to Doctor Delaney," he suggested.

She nodded and they sat, each silently enjoying the comfort of the other's presence. After several long moments, Booth spoke.

"Did you still want to go to the storage place before we go pick up Parker?" he asked.

"Yes," she answered, standing up to face him. "You need your things," she said, "especially if Parker is going to be here."

Booth smiled as he stood up, rubbing his hands together. Brennan-with-a-purpose was back. This was when she was most like herself, and he knew that everything would be all right. He realized that he'd been caught daydreaming when his wife clapped her hands.

"Chop, chop, Booth," she said with a wide smile. "We don't have all day."

**BnBnBnBnB**

_December:_

_Booth sat on the park bench waiting for his wife to join him. His wife. As of two hours ago, Temperance Brennan was actually his wife. It amazed him that he was able to say that. He looked down at her BlackBerry that he held in his hand. He checked the time, mentally calculating the time difference. It would be dinnertime in DC and they'd probably have just gotten home. He dialed the familiar number, and waited a few rings._

"_Hello," she answered._

"_Hey, Bec."_

"_Seeley?" she asked, surprised. "Why are you calling? Is everything all right? Parker's not here. He's going to hate that he missed you…"_

"_Rebecca," he said. "Slow down."_

"_Sorry. What's going on?"_

"_First, everything is fine. Great, actually. Becs, I'm calling to tell you I got married."_

"_You what?"_

"_Married, Bec. Bones and I got married. Thanks for telling her about my injury, by the way. We both really owe you."_

"_You're welcome. I knew you'd want her to know. And she called when she knew you were going to be okay. So, wow. Married. Congratulations, Seeley. I hope it's everything you've always wanted."_

"_Thanks, Becca. I'm sure it will be," he said with a smile. "When we get home in six months, anyway. Right now, we have a few more days before I head back to base camp and she goes back to the dig."_

"_I'm sorry Parker isn't here. He's having a sleepover at Evan's."_

"_That's okay," Booth said, sadly. "As much as I'd love to talk to him, maybe it's best that he's not there. Rebecca, I wanted to make sure you knew in case anything were to happen, but I don't want you to tell Parker. This is news that I think he should get from me. In person."_

"_He's going to be over the moon, Seeley," she said. "But I won't tell him."_

"_Thanks, Bec."_

**BnBnBnBnB**

"Dad!" Parker exclaimed, running down the front steps toward the SUV.

Booth barely had a chance to climb out before his son threw himself into his arms.

"Hey, bub," Booth said, holding the boy tightly in his arms. He wasn't surprised by the tears in his eyes or the lump forming in his throat at seeing his son for the first time in over a year. "Let me look at you," he said. "Wow, you've really grown."

"That's usually what happens, Dad," Parker said, rolling his eyes with a smile on his face.

Parker looked over for the first time and noticed the woman leaning against the side of the vehicle.

"You brought Bones with you!" he said, running around to welcome her home.

"That's usually what happens," Booth said under his breath. His heart swelled as he looked at his family. All was right with his world as his wife and his son held each other in a fierce embrace.

"I missed you so much!" Parker said to her.

"I missed you, too, Parker," Brennan answered. "Listen," she said. "We're going to have lots of time to catch up in a little while. I think we're going to go to the diner for dinner. But first, your dad has something he needs to talk to you about."

"Parks," Booth called out. "Let's take a walk."

Brennan joined her husband's ex on the porch as they watched father and son walk down the block toward the playground.

"He really missed him," Rebecca said wistfully.

"The feeling was mutual," Brennan replied.

"I think maybe they're going to be a while," Rebecca said, indicating for Brennan to take a seat. "Can I get you something? Soda? Tea? Lemonade? Something stronger?"

"Lemonade would be great," Brennan replied. "Thank you."

When Rebecca went back into the house, Brennan continued to watch down the block even though Booth and Parker were no longer in her sight. After a few minutes, Rebecca returned with two glasses. Handing a glass to Brennan, Rebecca sat down in the chair next to her.

"Thank you," Brennan said, taking the glass.

"You're welcome, Dr. Brennan."

"Please," she said, "call me Temperance."

"I guess we are sort of family now," Rebecca said. "Aren't we?"

"I guess so," Brennan replied tentatively.

"You don't have to worry about Parker," Rebecca said. "He loves you and he's going to be thrilled that you're his step-mom."

**BnBnBnBnB**

"So," Parker said as they walked by the old swing set and sat next to each other on top of the picnic table. "What's wrong?"

"Why do you think there's something wrong?" his father asked.

"Bones said you had something to talk to me about," the boy answered. "And now we're here, so you wanted to talk in private. That usually means it's something bad."

"Not this time, son," Booth said with a smile. "But I do have something I want to tell you, and I want you to feel free to say whatever you think about it."

"Okay," Parker said, his curiosity drawing out the word.

"While I was in Afghanistan," Booth began.

"You got hurt," Parker said, interrupting. "I know that already."

"Yeah, bub, I did. But that's not what I want to talk to you about. I want to talk to you about Bones."

"Bones? What about her? Is she finally your girlfriend?"

"Not exactly," Booth hedged. "Parks, Bones and I, well… we got married. She's my wife."

"Your wife," Parker said as if he were contemplating. "Awesome!"

Booth let out the breath he'd been holding in anticipation of his son's reply.

"Awesome?" he asked. "So, you're okay with it?"

"Are you kidding, Dad? It's _Bones_. She's going to be the coolest step-mom, ever!"

"I'm glad you're happy," Booth said. "I'm sorry I couldn't talk to you about it first. Your opinion really matters, you know."

"I know," Parker said simply, as only a ten-year-old can. "So, since you're married that means that Bones is gonna live with us at our new house, right?"

_New house? Shit._

Parker must've caught his father's deer-in-the-headlights expression because he asked, "You didn't forget, did you Dad? You said because you gave up your apartment that when you came home from the Army you'd need a new place and we could get a real house."

"Yeah, bub. I did say that. But right now, I don't need a new place 'cause Bones still has hers and we'll be staying there."

The boy crossed his arms over his chest, pursed his lips and stared straight ahead in the perfect classic pout.

"But you promised," he said.

"I know I did, Parker," Booth answered. "And I'm not saying _no_, just _not right now_. I'll talk to Bones about it."

"So that's how it's going to be?" the boy asked, sulking. "We don't get to do anything unless Bones says it's okay? Great."

"Hey. What happened to Bones being the best step-mom ever?"

"Nothing," Parker said quietly. "She's still cool."

"Look buddy," Booth said. "I know you're disappointed, but give us a chance okay? I still think getting a house is a great idea, and I think Bones will, too. I just can't make any really big decisions without talking to her anymore. That's part of being married. We do all the big stuff together." He patted his son's knee. "Hang in there," he said. "It's going to be okay, I promise. Try not to be mad at Bones, okay?"

Booth debated whether he wanted to tell Parker more. He'd been going back and forth over it, and realized now that he really had no choice.

"Parks, there is something else I need to tell you. A couple of month's ago, something happened and Bones got hurt. It was really scary and she got hurt pretty bad," Booth spoke in soft, low tones, keeping eye contact with his son. "And it's taken her a long time to get better. What happened hurt her heart and sometimes she still gets really sad."

"Is she sad right now?" Parker asked.

"No, bub," Booth answered, ruffling his son's hair. "She's really happy to see you and excited about letting you know we got married."

"That's good," Parker replied, thinking. "I don't want Bones to be sad. How can we help her?"

"The best thing for us to do, buddy, is just to love her and be there for her. She's getting better all the time. I don't want you to worry," Booth said. "I just wanted you to know what's going on. We're all gonna be just fine."

"'course we are," Parker said with a smile. "We're a family."

"We sure are," Boot said, smiling with pride. He hopped up from the picnic table. "And we should probably be getting back."

"Okay," Parker said. He got up and walked with his dad back toward the house. They walked quietly for a little while before Parker asked, "Dad, when did you and Bones get married? Was it when she got hurt?"

"No," Booth answered. "It was in December, just before Christmas. We got married in Germany before I went back to base camp and she went back to Maluku."

**BnBnBnBnB**

_December:_

_Brennan sat in the armchair in Booth's room at the Army rehab hospital. She was working on her latest manuscript while he went through his physical therapy exercises. _

"_You look tired," he commented from the parallel bars on the other side of the room. "I'm the one doing all the heavy lifting here," he added with a charm smile._

"_I am," she admitted, setting her computer aside and crossing the room to join him. "It's been a really long month."_

"_Are you sleeping?" he asked, reaching over to lift her chin._

"_Yes," she answered honestly. "But it's been emotionally exhausting." _

"_Life was easier when you closed off your feelings, huh?" he asked._

"_In some ways, yes," she answered. "Booth, we've been through this so many times. I don't know how many more I can take. Do you know how hard it was to receive that email from Rebecca? To know that you were lying in a hospital, only your god knew where, unconscious, and no one would tell me anything? It took a week's worth of phone calls to finally get me to Landstuhl, but even then no one would tell me anything. I bullied my way past Dr. Rojas, and then even after you woke up, I was still kept in the dark. When they moved you to this facility and Dr. Rojas was no longer your primary care provider, I was up against that wall again."_

"_Oh," Booth replied, pulling her to him. "Baby, I'm sorry. I had no idea."_

_He led her back to the chair and sat down with her in his lap as she replied._

"_Remember how you didn't see me at all that first day? It's because I couldn't find you, Booth." _

_He could hear her fighting back tears as she took in a long, shuddering breath. He murmured words of comfort in her ear and ran his hands over her back._

"_And now you're well," she said quietly. "Soon, you'll be going back to your unit and I'll be going back to the project. What happens next time?"_

"_There won't be a next time, baby."_

"_You can't know that, Booth!" she nearly shouted, turning to face him. "What happens when something happens to you and they call Jared? Jared won't think to contact me the way Rebecca did. And even if he does, we'll lose precious time before I can get to you…"_

_She was rambling and as serious as the situation was, he couldn't help but smile. She was so cute. She'd kill him for saying so, but he wasn't sure he'd ever seen a more adorable sight than Temperance Brennan getting in touch with her emotions. Of course, she had no idea that was what she was doing, so he was going to have to tread lightly and speak her language._

"_You're right," he said softly. "I can't promise that nothing will happen. But I can promise to be careful," he said, placing a soft kiss against her temple. "And I can make sure that Jared knows to contact you if anything happens."_

"_That isn't ideal," she answered. "But I suppose under the circumstances, it would be satisfactory."_

"_What would be ideal, Bones?"_

"_Ideally," she told him, "I would prefer that the Army contact me directly. But that isn't possible, so…"_

"_What if I told you that it's not entirely impossible?" he said with a smile._

"_What do you mean?" she asked._

"_They would contact you first, baby," he said before pressing his lips to hers, "if you were my next of kin."_

**You know what to do, review! :-) **


	5. Friends

**AN- Here's a fluffy little chapter before we get to the heavier stuff… it gives a little resolution to one situation that's been on your minds. It's a little shorter than I'd like, but I haven't been feeling well today. Hope you all enjoy it… and take a minute to let me know what you think!**

Chapter 5 - Friends

"Thanks for coming, guys," Booth said, greeting their guests at the front door.

"Thanks for having us, Studly," Angela said with a wink. "Welcome back."

"Thanks, Ange." Booth leaned in to kiss her cheek. "Bones is in the kitchen," he said, nudging her in that direction before taking Hodgins into the living room to show off his new LCD television.

"Hey, Sweetie," Angela said tentatively as she walked into the kitchen. "We brought wine." She smiled, holding up the bottle when Brennan turned to face her. "It's the good stuff, brought it back from France."

"Thank you," Brennan said. "Do you want to open it?"

"Sure," Angela answered. "Still keep everything in the same place?"

Brennan nodded.

"Yes," she said. "For the most part. Booth has a tendency to not put things back where he found them."

Angela smiled. This felt comfortable.

"Men," she said, rolling her eyes.

"I'm sorry," they both said at the same time.

Laughing, Angela walked over to take her best friend into her embrace.

"No," she said. "You don't have to apologize. I'm the one. I'm really sorry for the way I treated you. It was wrong and I should have heard you out. You're my best friend, Brennan. I think I must have forgotten that the other day."

"I'm sorry, too, Angela," Brennan said. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you that Booth and I had gotten married, and that I overreacted by storming out of the restaurant."'

"I wish you hadn't, but I understand why you did. I'm sorry I didn't give you a chance to explain."

"I have to admit," Brennan said, remembering what Booth had told her about telling Angela how her actions had made her feel, "that I was more hurt than I expected, a little jealous, too."

"Jealous?" Angela asked with a curious smile.

"Yes," Brennan answered. "One part of me is very happy that you care enough about Booth to be that vehement on behalf of his feelings," she said. "But another part was hurt that you immediately thought the worst of me…"

"Wow," Angela said, amazed. "The Brennan I met outside the university all those years ago would not have even noticed that."

"You're right," Brennan said simply.

"Bren, I can't tell you how sorry I am that I hurt you. I underestimated you, and I won't let that happen again."

"Thank you, Angela," Brennan said.

"So, when do I get to hear the whole story?"

"Right now," Brennan replied, pulling two beers out of the refrigerator. "Grab that bottle and a couple of glasses."

"Wait," Angela said, practically pouting. "What about _girl talk_? We've got a lot of catching up to do."

"And we will catch up," Brennan said.

"But you can't stand to be away from your hunky hubby," Angela said. "That's so cute. Come on, let's go hang with the boys."

**BnBnBnBnB**

In the living room, Booth and Brennan told Angela and Hodgins the story of Booth's injury and Brennan's trip to Germany. When they arrived at the night at the rehab hospital when Booth suggested they get married, Angela interrupted.

"Wait," she said. "You, Temperance Brennan, actually got _married _just to be Booth's emergency contact?"

"Yes," Brennan answered.

"Not _just_," Booth said at the same time.

Angela and Hodgins exchanged an amused glance as Booth looked incredulously at his wife.

"Really, baby?" he asked. "That's the only reason?"

"Yes," Brennan answered honestly.

"Wow," Booth said, hurt. "And here I thought you actually loved me."

"I do love you, Booth," she answered. "And you know that. I didn't say that I didn't, but that wasn't my first reason for marrying you…as we discussed at the time. In fact, according to you, it wasn't even your reason for proposing."

"Oh, this I've got to hear," Angela said, leaning forward with her elbows on her knees and her fist under her chin.

_December:_

"_They would contact you first, baby," he said before pressing his lips to hers, "if you were my next of kin._

"_I don't know what that means," she answered, causing him to laugh out loud._

"_Are you laughing at me?" she asked._

_He looked down at her, and kissed the tip of her nose._

"_Yes," he said. "I am. And you are so damn cute when you pout."_

"_I am not pouting, Seeley Booth," she said, sticking her lip out in an expression that could only be described as pouting._

"_Okay, whatever," he answered, kissing her full and pouting lips._

"_Don't try to distract me," she said, as the kiss came to an end. "What did you mean by saying I could be your next of kin?"_

"_Marry me, Bones."_

"_What?"_

"_You heard me," he said. "Marry me."_

"_Booth, I've already told you that I love you. I'm even willing to concede to the possibility of loving you for the rest of my life. But this does not change my belief that marriage is an archaic ritual that leads to the subjugation of women…"_

"_I know that, baby," he said, with a sigh. "And I love you, too. I love you enough not to ask you to change. I'm not asking you to marry me because you're the love of my life and I can't imagine my life without you in it. I'm asking you to marry me because I love you and I want you to have peace of mind. If it's that important to you to know that the Army will contact you should anything happen to me, the only way for that to happen is for you to be my wife."_

"_Yes," she said._

"_Yes?"_

"_Yes," she repeated. "Let's get married."_

"_Really?"_

"_Yes," she said for the third time. "How soon can we do it?"_

"_Bones," he said. "Are you sure about this? I mean, I don't want to look a gift horse in the mouth, but we need to talk about this…"_

"_It was your idea, Booth," she said. "Did you not mean it?"_

"_No," he said. "I mean, yes, of course I meant it… but I didn't think you'd go for it."_

"_But I did, so what are your concerns?"_

_Oh the irony, Booth thought._

"_I guess I need to know what it means for the long term, Bones. I get what it means for the next six months, but what about when we get home? I'm only getting married once," he said, "and I expect it to be forever."_

"_I know that, Booth," she said, taking his face in her hands. "I already made the commitment to love you. I think that is completely separate from this situation. Because of you, I opened my heart. You taught me that love can last thirty, or forty, or fifty years and promised that yours for me will do just that," she said, smiling as she repeated his words from so long ago. "And I intend to make the same promise to you, though it still seems illogical to me to do so. We don't need a ring or a certificate to commit to each other. But we do need them for the rest of the world to accept that commitment, I understand that now…"_

_Seeley Booth smiled the wide smile of a man about to get everything he ever dreamed of._

"_All right, Bones," he said. "Let's do it."_

**BnBnBnBnB**

"Oh my god," Angela said, wiping tears from her eyes. "That was the most beautiful thing I've ever heard.

"Who knew Bones was such a romantic?" Booth said, pulling his wife to his side and kissing her temple.

"That _was_ pretty good, Dr. B.," Hodgins agreed.

"So what happened next?" Angela asked. "Tell us about the wedding,"

"We only had a week at that point, before I had to go back to base camp," Booth said. "So we had to work fast."

"I asked the woman who ran the bed and breakfast where I was staying to help me hire a wedding planner," Brennan said.

"And I went to the brass at Ramstein to file the paperwork and request the use of the chapel," Booth added.

"Rather than helping me hire someone, Janet offered to help me herself," Brennan said. "The B&B was lovely and held several weddings had been held there, so she was well prepared to help us do something quickly."

"Turns out she was a British citizen, and volunteered at the hospital," Booth said. "Didn't hurt that she was a fan of Bones' books."

"Booth was able to secure the use of the chapel and the chaplain offered to perform the ceremony," Brennan told their friends.

"Then it was just a matter of the paperwork," Booth said with a sigh. "Which normally can take months when you're getting married overseas…but we only had a couple of days."

"Due to Booth's special circumstance," Brennan said.

"And a well placed call to Bones' friend General Starke," Booth added.

"We were able to procure the necessary documents in two days," Brennan said. "Janet was able to arrange for all the trappings of a traditional wedding ceremony…"

"Wait a minute," Hodgins said, interrupting. Then he turned to his wife, "If they were only getting married to make sure Dr. B was Booth's emergency contact, why did they need a traditional ceremony?"

"Marriage has always been very important to Booth," Brennan answered, wrapping her arms around her husband's. "I wanted it to be everything he wanted it to be."

"In for a penny, in for a pound," Hodgins said with a smile.

"You decided you'd gone that far, that you should go all the way. Good for you, sweetie."

"Surprised the hell out of me, too, Hodgins," Booth said, leaning in to kiss his wife.

_December:_

_Booth stood nervously at the front of the chapel in full dress uniform._

"_Don't worry son," the chaplain whispered. "I've never met anyone as determined as your bride. It's going to be a lovely ceremony."_

"_Thanks, padre," Booth said. _

_He was surprised when Wagner's "Bridal March" began to play over the PA, and he turned to see the most beautiful sight he'd ever seen. The love of his life stood in the doorway dressed in an off white satin dress. It had a wide, off the shoulder collar, hugged her curves and hung to above her knees, showing off her killer legs. She carried a bouquet of white lilies accented by daffodils and daisies. _

_He thought his knees would give out, and he didn't try to hide the tears that filled his eyes as she began to walk toward him._

_She walked down the aisle to him, a smile covering her face and tears of love filling her eyes._

_He took her hands and they turned to face the chaplain, who led them through the exchanging of rings and the vows of a civil ceremony. _

_After the chaplain pronounced them man and wife, Booth took Brennan in his arms and they shared the sweetest kiss. There was something more than special about being married to your best friend._

_They returned to the bed and breakfast and were joined for brunch by Doctors Rojas and Kemper, Booth's physical therapist, some of Booth's nurses, Janet, and a few of the guys Booth had befriended at the rehab hospital._

_After everyone had eaten, Janet proposed a mimosa toast to the newlyweds and instructed them to make their way to the dance floor. Booth took his bride in his arms as Etta James' "At Last" began to play. For the next few minutes, the whole world disappeared._

_In lieu of cake, Janet served the best apple pie Booth had ever tasted._

_After their guests had gone, Booth and Brennan bundled up and went for a walk in the B&B's gardens. Brennan handed Booth her phone and told him to call Rebecca while she went to thank Janet for all her help._

_Booth made his call, and waited for Brennan to join him on the bench. She walked over to him and sat down, wrapping her arms around his in the way she'd begun to do so often. _

"_Are you happy?" he asked._

"_More than I ever thought I would be," she said, honestly. _

"_I have a surprise for you," he said to her._

"_What?" she asked, her eyes lighting up._

"_I've been released by Doc Kemper," he said, as her face fell._

"_That means you have to go back," she said sadly._

"_Yes," he said, nodding. "But not until after my five day leave which started today," he said. "It's going to have to be short, but we can have a real honeymoon."_

"_Really?" she asked, surprising him with her childlike enthusiasm._

"_Really," he said, leaning in for a long, sweet, passionate kiss. _

_When the need for oxygen separated them he leaned in, resting his forehead on hers._

"_Thank you for making my dreams come true," he whispered._

"_Thank you for making me realize it's okay to dream," she answered. "I love you."_

"_Not as much as I love you."_


	6. Disneyland

**AN… I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to update yesterday, and this one is a little short, but I wanted to get you an update. This is mostly a little fluff and filler to move us on to the rest of the story. Thanks so much for all your encouraging words! It means so much. Keep reviewing… it makes my day! **

Chapter 6 - Disneyland

After Angela and Hodgins had gone Booth and Brennan tidied up the remnants of dinner together in the kitchen, and then settled on the sofa with a glass of wine.

"So," he said as she snuggled in to his side. "How are you, really?"

"I'm okay," she answered. "Being at home helps, as did being with Parker. Doctor Delaney wants me to wait another week before going back to the lab."

"How do you feel about that?" he asked.

"Anxious," she answered honestly. "I don't understand what good keeping from work is doing. I have been working steadily for the past two months…"

'You've been working _constantly_ for the past two months," Booth corrected. "Doctor Grayson was worried about you burying your feelings in your work, and now that we're together, and home, and you're not working twenty-four hours a day…"

"You all want to make sure I don't melt?"

It took him a minute to realize what she meant, and he chuckled softly.

"I think you mean we want to make sure you don't have a meltdown, baby," he said. "And you're right."

"I'm fine, Booth," she said. "If you want me to get back to normal, then let me get back to work. Let _us_ get back to work."

"Let's listen to the doctors, and give it one more week. I've got to get recertified," he told her. "So, I can't get back to work yet, anyway."

"We do need to bring more of your things over," she said. "Maybe we can keep the storage unit, and put some of my things in it. I want to make room for Parker's things in the guest room."

"More space would be nice," Booth said. "You know…"

"What?"

"Bones, what do you think about us getting a house?"

"A house? Booth, there's plenty of room for us here. That is until we…" She paused, took in a long breath and then looked at her husband. "Oh. I'm not ready yet."

"Oh, God, baby," he said. "I'm sorry. No, that's not what I meant. I know that, and I'm not in any hurry. It's just, that since I gave up my apartment, I promised Parker we could get a house when I got back. He asked about it at the park when I told him about the wedding."

"I see," she said. "And what did you tell him?"

"That I would talk to you about it," he answered.

"Is that what you want?" she asked.

"I have to admit I've thought about it," he said. "The idea of having a place that is ours… not mine, not yours, but a home we built together? Yeah, that sounds pretty good to me. What do you think?"

"I think I haven't given it enough thought," she said. "I do like the idea of living in a house. You realize that I haven't actually lived in a house since I was fifteen, not really, anyway."

"Do you think it's something you might want, Bones?" he asked softly, beginning to realize he was afraid of her answer.

_December:_

"_A honeymoon?" she asked, surprising herself by how excited she was at the prospect._

"_Yeah, baby," he said. "What do you say? We've got four whole days… just you and me. I'm sure we could find something to do close by…there has to be someplace we can go and be tourists," he added, laughing. "Maybe Janet will help us find something."_

"_I'm sure she would," Brennan answered. "But I've got a better idea."_

"_Oh yeah?"_

_She smiled and raised her eyebrows._

"_It's freezing out here," she said. "Let's go inside and talk about it."_

"_Sounds good to me," he answered, following as she got up and made her way back into the inn._

_They walked silently as Brennan led the way to her room. She walked in, her husband following behind her. Booth closed the door and stood leaning against it. He watched as she took off her heavy coat. Just like that first moment he'd seen her in the chapel, seeing her standing before him in her wedding dress took his breath away._

"_Hi," he said quietly._

"_Hi," she said in return, smiling. "Are you going to take off that heavy coat?"_

_She watched as he took off his coat and tossed it over a chair. The sight before her did more than take her breath away. The warmth that spread through her body was more than lust, though that was there. At that moment she realized what she'd meant when Angela said there was something about a man in uniform… but she knew that for herself, it wasn't about any man in a uniform, only this man. He did things for her that no other man ever had, and no other man ever could._

"_As much as I like seeing you in your uniform," she said, walking up to him. She reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck before she whispered in his ear, "Right now, I'd rather see you out of it."_

"_But Bones," Booth replied, smiling. If she could have seen his face, she would have seen the sparkle of teasing in his eye. "I thought we were going to plan our honeymoon."_

"_Oh, we will," she answered, pressing her lips to his neck. _

"_Do you want to go sightseeing?" he asked, smiling._

"_No," she said, moving to his earlobe._

"_How 'bout shopping?" he asked, biting his bottom lip as he ran his hands over her back._

"_No," she answered, pressing small kisses along his jaw line._

"_I got it!" he said, "Disneyland!"_

_She held her hands on his shoulders and leaned back to look in his face._

"_Sex, Booth," she said. "I want to have sex."_

"_Yeah, baby," he answered, chuckling. "I know that. I want you, too."_

**BnBnBnBnBnB**

_Booth lay in the big comfortable bed, his arms wrapped around his wife and both of them snuggled under a goose down duvet. He'd imagined many scenarios for his first time with Temperance Brennan, but this was unlike any of them. He never imagined it would be in the middle of a German afternoon on a cold winter's day… on what would essentially be considered "the wedding night."_

"_What are you thinking about?" she asked, resting her head against his chest as he gently caressed her back._

"_Just counting my lucky stars," he said._

"_But it's the middle of the afternoon," she replied. "You can't see the stars."_

"_It's an expression, Bones," he said. "I'm just really happy."_

"_I'm happy, too," she said, snuggling close to him. _

"_So, you said you had some ideas on how we should spend our honeymoon," he said, placing a kiss to her head._

"_Yes," she said, succinctly. _

"_What did you want to do?" he asked, tracing lazy circles over the small of her back._

"_This," she answered._

"_This?"_

"_Yes, Booth," she answered, her voice sounding slightly annoyed. She waited for him to say something and when he didn't, she went on. "It's been a long time," she said. "And as much as I hate saying anything that will increase your already inflated ego," she said with a sigh. "I've just had the best sex of my life. Probably because I've just made love for the first time…"_

"_Baby, I think that may be the best thing you've ever said to me," he said, pulling her up to kiss her. "And you've said some great things these past few days…" He brought his lips to hers for a long, full and passionate kiss that released all the emotion he was feeling. "And did I mention, that was really hot?"_

"_No, you didn't," she said. "But that is sort of my point. After experiencing what we have just experienced, I'm not looking forward to going without it for another six months. Therefore, it is my conclusion that the best use of our time would be to spend the next three days together in this bed."_

"_Have I ever told you that I like the way you think, Mrs. Booth?"_

"_I'm not changing my name, Booth."_

"_I know, baby," he said, smiling as he leaned in for a kiss._

**BnBnBnBnB**

"Good morning, Mrs. Booth," Booth said, rolling over and pulling Brennan to him.

"Good morning, Booth," she said. "And I told you before, I'm not changing my name."

"Yes," he answered with a good morning kiss. "I know, you earned your doctorate in your name. How about this?" He said, punctuating his statements with kisses. "You can be Doctor Brennan in the lab and Mrs. Booth in the bedroom."

"That is an acceptable compromise."

"Good. So, what's on the agenda for today?"

"Errands," she answered. "We have to meet with my attorney and my accountant before lunch. I thought we could drive around a couple of neighborhoods to narrow down where we're going to look for houses before we talk to a realtor. And Parker has hockey practice this afternoon."

"Big day," he said.

"Not really," she answered. "We should find some time between appointments to bring more of your things from storage."

"Sure," he said. "But we'll just get what Parks and I really need. There's no sense in moving everything just to turn around and move it again."

"That is logical," she replied.

"I love being domestic with you," he said, kissing her. "You know, we could save time if I went to the storage place while you meet with the business guys."

"No, you have to go with me. It's the entire purpose for the visit. I want to have you added to my accounts and legal documents."

"Whoa, wait a minute. Add me to your accounts?"

"Yes."

"Bones, we can't do that. I didn't marry you for your money."

"I know that, Booth. But we are married, and that means we share everything, right?" she said. "Isn't that what you're always telling me? Everything means everything, and I want to share everything with you. It's what we do… equals, remember?"

"Yes, sure," he said. "But I don't know, Bones…"

"I know you've never felt comfortable with my wealth," she said. "But this is important, and that's why I want you to go with me. I need to do this, Booth. It's part of my taking back control of my life."

"Okay," he said. "If it's that important to you, I'll go."

"Thank you," she answered.

"I love you."

"I love you, too."


	7. Therapy

Chapter 7 – Therapy

Temperance Brennan-Booth sat in the now familiar waiting room, thinking about just how much she hated being there. Doctor Delaney was nice enough, and she seemed competent. She had nothing against the woman personally, she just thoroughly resented the need for therapy in the first place. If it hadn't happened on a remote island when she was so far away from Booth, her family and friends, she wouldn't have need to see anyone in the first place. Now that she was home, she had planned to discontinue therapy. When Doctor Grayson suggested that she see Doctor Delaney only once a week, she found that to be an acceptable compromise.

"Temperance?" the receptionist called. "The doctor will see you now."

Thanking the young woman, Brennan got up and made her way in to the doctor's inner sanctum.

"Good afternoon, Temperance," the doctor said. "You're looking well. How are you feeling?"

"Fine," Brennan answered, sitting down.

"What's been happening since I last saw you?"

"I really want to get back to work," she answered, frustrated.

"And we agreed that you'd go back on Monday," the doctor answered, keeping her tone soft and even. "Are you settling back in to your personal routine?"

Brennan let out a long sigh.

"It appears that I no longer have a routine," she said.

"Tell me about that."

"My life now is not the same as the life I left behind a year ago… I now have a husband, and a stepson…"

"And how are Seeley and his son changing your life?"

"Parker wants us to buy a house, for one thing."

"_Parker_ wants to buy a house?"

"Booth gave up his apartment when he left for Afghanistan," Brennan answered. "When he left, he told his son that when he got back they could get a house."

"And now the boy is expecting a house, but…"

"But Booth moved into my apartment, instead."

"And has Seeley asked you to buy a house?"

"He asked what I thought about it."

"And what _do_ you think about it?"

Again, Brennan sighed, letting the doctor know that she was more frustrated by the situation than maybe she even knew.

"I think that it is something that I'd like to do… someday. But the idea of purchasing a house leads me to think about…"

The doctor watched as her patient struggled with her words. In the three weeks she'd been seeing her, Temperance had never actually verbalized what had happened to her. She always referred to the incident as "it." She'd say, things like "When it happened," or "I still think about it." She knew that until she was actually able to voice what she'd been through, she would never truly get passed it. According to her patient records, and her discussions with Temperance's former therapist, she knew that the anthropologist had told Doctor Grayson what had happened. She'd gone through it once, in excruciating detail, and she'd never referred to it directly again.

"… it makes me think about filling a house, with a family. I'm not ready to think about that just yet."

"But aren't you, and Seeley and Parker already a family?" the doctor asked.

"Yes, but…"

"And this is something that you want…someday?"

"It is," Brennan answered. "And because it's important to Parker, I'm willing to move forward with the idea."

"Only because it's important to Parker?"

"Booth seemed very excited by the prospect, as well. We went driving around yesterday looking at suitable neighborhoods. I think this is something that I would like to do, very much. But I admit to being apprehensive."

"What is making you apprehensive, Temperance?"

"My life is turning out very differently than I had previously planned," she answered. "I love Booth, and I don't regret our decision to marry. I don't regret anything, but now that we're married…if we purchase a house, then… "

"People are going to start asking you when you're going to have a baby," the doctor said bluntly, noticing how her words made her patient wince. "And that is uncomfortable for you."

"Yes," Brennan answered quietly.

"Do you think it would help to tell your friends and family what happened?"

"Perhaps," she answered. "But I don't know how to do that. I just made up with Angela for what happened when I tried to tell her that Booth and I were married. I don't know if she'll forgive me for keeping this from her."

"From what you and Seeley have told me, I think she will," the therapist answered. "But you have to be ready." She paused, to give Brennan a moment before switching gears on her. "What about your feelings of control? Or more precisely, not being in control of the things in your life… how are you feeling about that?"

"Better," she answered. "Booth and I went to my attorney and accountant yesterday. I had his name added to my accounts and set up a trust for Parker."

"And you feel that gave you some control?"

"Yes, but what I really need is to have something else to focus on. I need to get back to work."

"I agree," Doctor Delaney said. "I think it would be good for you to go to the museum. Why don't you go over there this afternoon for a visit? Perhaps get your office in order before you actually go back to work next week?"

**BnBnBnBnB**

_Late February:_

"_Doctor Brennan, once you're released by Doctor Henry, I think it might be best for you to return to the States."_

_Doctor Amelia Grayson was a psychiatrist from Seattle, and part of the medical team assigned to the Maluku project. She, along with a general practitioner, Doctor Simon Henry, and three registered nurses were there to supply treatment for the members of the Maluku dig team. Brennan had been surprised to learn that the project had hired a dedicated mental health professional, but was willing to allow that being that far away from home for that long could be taxing on some members of the team. Dr. Grayson was also married to one of the archeologists assigned to the project. _

"_No," she answered bluntly. "I made a commitment to this project. I have two months remaining on that commitment, and I fully intend to see It through."_

"_You've been through a seriously traumatic event, Doctor Brennan. No one would hold it against you if you chose to return home," _

"_With all due respect, Doctor Grayson," Brennan stated emphatically from her bed in the infirmary. "I know very well what I've been through. I also know that what I need to do at the moment is to get back to work."_

"_When we experience something like what you have been through," Dr. Grayson pressed on, "it is often best to be in our normal surroundings, among our loved ones and doing what we normally would be doing."_

"_Getting back to work on the project will create the same effect."_

"_Temperance," Amelia tried for the personal approach on the stubborn doctor._

"_Amelia," Brennan replied. "My husband is in Afghanistan, my best friend is in Paris, and my position at the Jeffersonian is currently being filled by another anthropologist. What normality and comfort is it exactly that you'd like me to return to? Trust me. Staying here and working on the project is the best thing for me. I'll be fine."_

"_All right," the psychiatrist relented. "But I want you to touch base with me every day."_

"_That is not necessary," Brennan said. "I don't believe in psychology. It's a soft science," she went on. "No offense." _

"_None taken, Doctor Brennan," the other woman answered. "I'm married to a scientist, remember? It's nothing I haven't heard before. But I do maintain that you need someone to talk to. I'd like to set up regular sessions, but aside from those I want to see you every day. Even if it's just to say 'hi.'" Seeing that Brennan was once again about to object, she added firmly, "It's the only way I'll agree to having you stay. I can have you removed from the project medically, Temperance."_

_"Blackmail doesn't become you, Doctor Grayson," Brennan said, pouting._

"_Maybe not," Amelia said with a smile. "But I like you, and I just want to see you through this. I know you're a tough cookie, Temperance. But this is going to be harder than you think."_

**BnBnBnBnB**

The first thing Booth noticed when he walked into the apartment was the warm, enticing aroma. It was an earthy, spicy scent and it made his mouth water. He'd learned long ago that his partner was a great cook though she didn't cook often. Now that she was his wife he was learning that there was no limit to her talents. He followed his nose into the kitchen.

"Is that curry?" he asked, walking over to where she stood in front of the stove.

"Sabzi khurma," she said, turning to him as he leaned in to greet her with a kiss.

"Gesundheit," Booth said, laughing.

"Very funny," she responded. "Sabzi is mixed vegetables, and khurma is an Indian spicy gravy," she told him, offering up her wooden spoon. "Taste."

He opened his mouth to accept the spoon.

"Wow," he told her. "That's good. Mixed vegetables in spicy gravy, huh? Guess that means no meat in tonight's meal?"

"That's exactly what it means," she answered, smiling.

As part of their give-and-take for learning to cohabitate, Booth agreed to vegetarian meals twice a week. He wouldn't admit it to anyone else, and especially not to his wife, but he didn't mind it a bit.

"It will be served with bisi bele huli anna," she said, smiling.

"What the hell is that?" he asked, worry lines forming across his forehead.

"Coconut rice," she said. "Don't worry, I'm not going to kill you."

"So, how was your day?" he asked, moving to the refrigerator to take out a beer. Laughing to himself that he sounded like Ward Cleaver.

"Good," she answered. "I went to see Doctor Delaney and then I went to the lab."

"How did that go?" he asked.

"It was good," she answered. "It was nice to see everyone and I had the chance to put my office in order so that I don't have to worry about doing that next week. What about you? Is everything prepared for your return to duty?"

"Yep," he answered with a smile, setting his badge down on the table. "Passed my recertification with flying colors. I still qualify as a sharp shooter- master marksman. We're back, baby!"

"So it would appear," she replied, smiling. She was more than ready to get back to what she considered her real life.

"We should celebrate," he said. "What do you want to do this weekend?"

"What would you say to house hunting?"

"I'd love that, but are you sure? 'Cause if you're not ready, we can wait. Parker understands, and I'm perfectly happy here. I don't care where we live as long as we're together," he said.

"I know that," she said. "But I really want this, too. I love the idea of moving in to a house with you and Parker, making a home together."

"I just don't want you to feel pressured," he told her.

"Booth," she said. "How long have you known me?"

"Seven years."

"Seven years," she repeated. "And in those seven years, how many times have you known me to do anything that I did not want to do?"

"Well, now that you mention it…" he said with a smile.

He wrapped his arms around her waist, and dropped his lips to hers.

"As long as you're sure," he said. "I think it's a fantastic idea."

"I talked to Doctor Delaney about it today," she told him, wrapping her arms around his waist. "And I realized that it is what I want. I think I was just nervous…"

"About?"

"Everyone. Well, Angela mostly. We satisfied her curiosity about our relationship when we told her and Hodgins about the wedding," she said. "But if we tell her we're buying a house, she's going to immediately start talking babies…"

"Bones, I told you, we can wait. It's okay."

"No, it isn't. I'm tired of waiting. I'm taking my life back," she said. "and giving _our_ life back. I think it has to start by telling Angela about what happened."

**AN- Thanks for reading! Hope this moves the plot forward a bit… looking forward to your thoughts. You know what to do, review!. *please* :-)**


	8. Silver Lining

**AN- I'm overwhelmed by the response to this story! Thank you… I can't tell you how much your reviews mean and how they spur me to get my updates done on time! :-) Hope you enjoy this one.**

Chapter 8 – Silver Lining

Bright summer sunlight filtered through the sheer curtain and the window behind it, bathing the bedroom in a warm morning glow. Brennan smiled as she felt the warm sunlight on her face. She stretched and turned to greet her husband along with the morning. But instead of a warm, hard body, she was disappointed to find only cold, soft sheets.

She sat up and pulled the covers up under her arms as she pulled her knees up to her chest, closing her eyes and smiling as she leaned back against the headboard.

"Good morning, beautiful."

She opened her eyes to see Booth, dressed only a pair of flannel sleep pants, leaning against the door jamb. His bare feet were crossed at the ankles and his arms were crossed over his chest.

"Morning," she said, her voice still rough with sleep. "Where were you?"

"Kitchen," he answered. "Coffee's on. You want breakfast?"

He walked over to the bed and sat down next to her.

"No," she told him, as she leaned over to look at the clock on her bedside table. "I'm not really hungry. Maybe we can pick something up on the way to the rink."

He just looked at her and grinned. He was amazed at how well she'd adapted to making room for him and Parker in her life. She kept in touch with Rebecca and had Parker's schedule down, making sure they never missed a game or special practice. He was sure she'd be even more on top of his school events.

"We should probably get ready to go," she said. "Parker said this was a big game and it's probably going to be crowded. "

"Yeah," he told her. "When I coached his team, the Blazers were our big rival."

She sensed the melancholy in his tone, realizing yet again just how much she'd changed since he'd come into her life.

"You missed a lot this past year," she said, resting her head against his shoulder. "But we're back now. You can coach the team again next season, right?"

"Yeah," he answered. "And I'm going to coach his baseball team in the spring… but, I don't know…"

"What?" she asked. "Baby, talk to me."

"It's stupid," he said. "But it's kinda weird sitting in the stands watching his games. I'm so used to being on the bench with the kids… on the ice, right behind the glass…"

"It's not stupid," she said firmly. "I don't ever want to hear you say that. You could never be stupid, Booth. Besides you once told me that your feelings are always valid, no matter what they are _because_ they are your feelings."

"Thanks, Bones," he said, pulling her to his side.

"And…" she said, "there is another thing. Because you won't be down on the ice with the boys, you can cuddle in the stands with me."

A wide grin spread across his face.

"That's my silver lining girl," he said, kissing her temple.

"It's all about looking for the rational and logical argument," she said.

"Sounds good, babe," he said. "Rationally speaking, I always want to be by your side.

**BnBnBnBnB**

_December:_

_The couple stood in the doorway of the airplane hangar, oblivious to the multitude of soldiers milling around them. _

_The man was dressed in fatigues, and the woman in cargo pants and a t-shirt under a winter coat. He reached out to take the woman's hand. _

"_I hate this," he said quietly._

"_So do I," she answered, as he leaned forward pressing his forehead to hers. "But we don't have a choice, do we?"_

"_No, I guess we don't," he answered. "Thank you for coming for me."_

"_I'll always come for you, Booth," she said. "Just like you'll always be there for me."_

"_Having you here has made this month bearable," he said, pressing his lips to hers. "And the past week has been magical."_

"_There's no such thing as magic," she replied. "But I agree, it has been wonderful."_

"_Did we really do it?" he asked in a whisper. "Are you really my wife?"_

"_Yes," she answered just as reverently, as she returned his kiss. "Promise me you'll be careful," she said._

"_I won't do anything that could keep me from coming home to you," he said. "You have to make me the same promise. I don't like idea of my wife being all alone out in the jungle."  
_

"_I won't be alone, Booth," she said, with an exasperated sigh. "I have a whole team of scientists there, you know."_

"_I know," he said. "But they're not me. I'm your gun, remember? It's my job to watch your back… even more so, now," he said, his arms wrapped around her and caressing her back. "I don't want anyone else covering this beautiful backside."_

"_Only you," she said, closing her eyes. She tried to lose herself in him… to memorize every centimeter of him, his scent, his essence, the way his arms felt when they held her. "Only you."_

"_Email me whenever you get a chance," he said. "Every day, Bones. I can't promise I can answer every day… but I need to hear from you."_

"_I will," she said, tears filling her eyes. _

"_Booth!" They heard the man call from the door of the plane. _

"_I have to go," he said, once again leaning his forehead down to hers._

"_I love you."_

"_I love you, too," he said, taking her small hand in his strong one. "Six months isn't that long," he said._

"_No," she answered._

"_Six months," he said, again. "At the Reflecting Pool."_

_She nodded, using her other hand to wipe her tears as he leaned in to kiss her sweetly._

"_The coffee cart," she said as their lips parted._

_He didn't let go of her hand as he began to back away. She stood stock still, and soon her arm dropped to her side when he was forced to let it go. She forced herself not to cry as she watched him walk toward the plane. He climbed the steps leading into the aircraft, and when he reached the doorway, he turned to look at her over his shoulder._

_This was going to be the longest six months of his life._

**BnBnBnBnB**

After having pizza with Parker, Rebecca and Brent, Booth and Brennan met up with a real estate agent for their first of two appointments. The agent took them through several Georgetown neighborhoods, where they saw some lovely homes, but none that really fit what they were looking for. They went back to the office and met with another agent who assured them she had the perfect place. It was about twenty minutes from both the Jeffersonian and the Hoover and in a great school district. It had everything that Brennan had listed that they wanted and she was anxious for them to follow her out to the property.

Booth looked over at his wife, seated next to him in his SUV as they drove into the Forest Hills neighborhood. He felt a thin sheen of sweat break out over his brow as he glanced over at the houses that lined the street. They were huge and their back yards were adjacent to Rock Creek Park.

"No way, Bones," he said, pulling into a driveway behind their second real estate agent of the day. "This is not a house, it's a mansion."

"Booth," she said, "This is the only type of home we're going to find that suits our needs and allows us to stay within DC."

"I can't live in a house like this," he said. "Hodgins will never let me hear the end of it."

"Perhaps you should have been nicer to him," she said. "It isn't nice to make fun of people for their social status," she added with a wink. "Seriously," she went on, reaching across the console to take his hand. "We liked those townhouses in Georgetown, but we decided we wanted a detached house," she said. "And there was very little property involved with those homes. We want a yard suitable for children, right?"

"Right," he agreed.

"And don't tell me you don't love the idea of taking your daily run through Rock Creek Park…"

She was right; he couldn't disagree with that statement.

"I don't know," he said. "It's so big, and it's going to be so expensive."

"We can afford it," she said, smiling as she patted his hand. "It is beautiful outside. Let's go see what the inside has to offer."

"Lead the way," he said, following behind her as they got out of the SUV and met the realtor at the sidewalk.

The couple followed the agent into the foyer of the beautifully decorated home.

"Mr. and Mrs. Booth," she said, "I think you'll find that this home has everything we discussed."

"She's Dr. Brennan," he corrected.

"And he's Agent Booth," his wife added.

"Right," the agent said, drawing out the word. "This home has all of the things you asked for…six bedrooms, with a study and a basement suitable for entertaining…"

"Six bedrooms?" Booth whispered to his wife as they followed behind the agent.

"We needed at least four," she answered. "This is what is available."

Booth's mind was reeling as they walked into the well-appointed chef's kitchen.

"Wow," he said. "This is great. We could make some awesome meals in here. Gordon Gordon would love it."

While the agent talked to Brennan about wood floors, granite countertops and stainless steel appliances, Booth walked over to the huge picture window that overlooked the backyard gardens and swimming pool. He had to admit the place was fantastic, and he hadn't even seen more than the hallway and the kitchen.

"The study you requested is right this way, Dr. Brennan," the agent said, motioning for the couple to follow her.

They walked into a room that was decorated in rich red tones that showcased the floor to ceiling built-ins. Booth stood behind his wife as she took in the room before them. He knew at that moment, the deed was as good as signed. He was looking forward to checking out the rest of the house.

Upstairs, they found six bedrooms, four of which had en-suite baths. One room was perfectly decorated as nursery, and Booth felt Brennan's step falter just slightly as they entered that room. The view from the master bedroom was spectacular as it looked out over the back yard and to the park beyond. There was a set of French doors leading from the bedroom out to a private balcony, and the thought of sitting out there and wrapping his arms around his wife as they enjoyed a moonlit evening took Booth to all kinds of places he shouldn't be going at that very moment.

Then it was time for the agent to show them what Booth immediately started calling The Man Cave. The basement game room was set up for entertaining, with a wet bar along one end of the room, an alcove perfect for game tables to the left and the perfect home theatre along the other side. Seeley Booth was in love. This even gave Hodgins' man room a run for its money.

They walked back upstairs and through the living and dining rooms before stopping in under the cathedral ceiling in the foyer.

"So, are we going to make an offer?" the agent asked.

"Not yet," Brennan answered, as her husband gave her a confused glance.

"We have another appointment tomorrow," she said. "And a few more places to see."

"This property isn't going to stay on the market long, Dr. Brennan."

"And that might well be the case," Brennan responded. "Then we'll know it's not the place for us." She looked at her husband, who almost imperceptibly nodded for her to continue. "We are very interested, Mrs. Williams," she said. "But not prepared to make an offer today. We'll be in touch."

**BnBnBnBnB**

_January_

_Booth lay back on his bunk, and stared at the letter in his hand. He loved that Bones sometimes sent him actual letters; she said they were more personal than email. This one was definitely personal. He looked over the letter again…he couldn't believe what he was reading._

_Pregnant._

_His Bones was having his baby. _

_She was only six weeks along, but she was sure. He knew to trust her on that… if anyone knew the human body, it was his wife. He hated that he couldn't be there with her. But they only had three and a half more months before they'd be together again in DC. He'd be there for the second half of her pregnancy, and he'd be there when their baby was born._

_His mind flashed ahead to the life he'd always dreamed of… it was now becoming a reality. He and Bones and Parker and the baby were already a family, and they were going to have a great life together. He imagined backyard football games, and picnics…birthday parties… Christmases curled up with his wife on the couch while the kids opened their presents._

_He imagined a little girl with her mother's amazing blue eyes._

_Life couldn't get any better than this. Seeley Booth just knew he was the luckiest man on the face of the earth._

**AN 2 - Okay… so most of you have figured out what "it" is, but I hope I can still surprise you and it won't be what you're expecting. Thanks for hanging in there with me… most of your questions will be answered in the next update. I felt that the events in that story deserved a chapter of their own, and there were some things that had to be told first, chronologically. So, now, you can hit that little button down there and help me get the next chapter written. **

**Oh, and what are your thoughts about responding to reviews? I've read stories where the writer writes me back on every comment I make. I don't do that… I respond to a few when there's a question or you say something that really touches me. Though I don't respond to all of them. I do read and enjoy each and every one, so please… keep them coming!**


	9. Daisy

**AN- Thanks again for sticking with this story and reviewing! Big thanks for this chapter to doctorsuez for being a great sounding board and helping me work it out. **

Chapter 9 - Daisy

Daisy Wick looked hesitantly at the man in the seat next to her as they drove away from Reagan National.

"Thanks for picking me up, Lance," she said quietly.

"You're welcome," he replied.

Lance Sweets had no idea what to say. He was a trained psychologist, and very good if he did say so himself. He was one of the youngest profilers ever hired by the FBI, placed in a sought-after position in the prestigious DC Field Office and assigned to work with one of the top investigative teams in the country-but when it came to his own life, he was a twelve-year old stammering kid completely at a loss for words. He decided to take the safer route.

"Why didn't you come back with the others?" he asked. "Dr. Brennan's been back almost a month."

"There were some things I had to work through…" she said. "Lance, I'm sorry I've been so distant. I know that we started to work through some things when I came home for Christmas…"

"But then you completely cut off contact two months later," Lance retorted.

"It wasn't just you, Lancelot," she said softly, hoping that the use of her pet name for him would soften his reaction. "I stopped talking to everyone."

He looked at her and then back at the road, more confused than before.

"Something happened, Lance," she said. "Something really bad, and I just couldn't talk about it. I wanted to tell you…" She reached across the console encouraging him to let her take his hand. "I need to tell you, but not here, okay? When we get home, we'll sit down and I'll tell you everything."

**BnBnBnBnBnB**

_February:_

_Booth sat down to check his email and was surprised not to see one from his wife. It had been a couple of days since he'd heard from her, and she had promised to check in every day. He was beginning to think that the nagging feeling he'd had in his stomach all week had nothing to do with the guys in his unit._

_He scanned his in-box and saw a couple of notes from Parker and one from Jared. There was even one from Cam. What caught his eye was an unfamiliar name from the same server that Bones' emails came from. _

_The ever-present knot in his stomach turned to ice._

_He opened the email._

_It was from a Dr. Amelia Grayson with the Maluku project. She said she was writing about Bones, and that she needed to speak with him right away. She left a number at which she could be reached._

_Without reading the rest of the note, Booth quickly wrote down the telephone number and went in search of a sat phone._

**BnBnBnBnB**

"So, how was the house hunting?" Angela asked, sitting down on the armchair with her husband across from where Booth and Brennan sat on the sofa.

"It went well," Brennan answered. "I think we've found the perfect place."

"But Bones decided to let the real estate lady sweat it out a little," Booth added with a laugh. "I thought she was gonna pop a blood vessel when Bones told her we were interested, but not yet ready to make an offer."

"Where is it?" Angela asked.

"Forest Hills," Brennan answered, as Booth winced.

"Swanky," Hodgins replied with a grin.

"Yeah, yeah," Booth said. "Hodgins I don't want to hear it." He felt his wife tighten her grip on his arm and new she was getting nervous. They'd invited Angela and Hodgins over so that they could tell them about what had happened to Brennan in Maluku, and there was a possibility she'd lose her nerve if they didn't get on with it. "Listen guys," he said. "The house is great, but that's not why we asked you to come over tonight."

"Angela," Brennan said, "there's something I need to tell you."

**BnBnBnBnB**

Once Lance had helped Daisy carry her things into his apartment, they moved to sit down.

"Do you want anything?" he asked. "Something to eat? A drink maybe?" He was nervous. Whatever it was that she had to tell him, it was epic … Daisy Wick didn't stop talking over just anything.

"No," she answered. "I don't need anything. Just come and sit down, please," she said, patting the seat next to her on the couch.

He noticed that there was something different about her. Why hadn't he noticed it at the airport? Her whole countenance had changed. She was quieter, yes… but it was more… she was calmer, less ebullient. She was less… _Daisy_. He walked over and sat down next to her, once again allowing her to take his hand. This time it seemed more as if she were using it to anchor herself than to comfort him as she had in the car.

"Dr. Brennan and I were working alone in one of the more remote areas of the dig," she began. "We were inside a cave, probably about a hundred feet from the main entrance. Things had been going really well. Dr. Brennan was much happier and much more open after she returned from Germany, and we had made a really major discovery. I even felt like she was happy with my work…"

"Wait. Dr. Brennan went to Germany?"

"Yes, about a month before I came home for the holidays, she left the dig. She was gone for about six weeks. She never really talked about why she'd gone, just that she'd been in Germany. I suspected it had something to do with Agent Booth, but I never pressed her for details. Looking back, I wish that I had. Maybe things would have been different…"

She stopped, obviously lost in her thoughts. He waited a minute before encouraging her to continue.

"Daisy," he said. "What happened in the cave?"

**BnBnBnBnB**

_February:_

_Booth dialed the phone with shaking hands. He didn't even bother to consider the time difference. He waited while the phone rang many times. He'd wait all night if he had to. That was when he realized it would be nearly midnight on the island._

_It was a few more minutes before someone picked up. He identified himself and asked to speak to Dr. Grayson, and was surprised when he was asked which Dr. Grayson. It took him a minute to think back to the email and remember the woman's first name. He waited several more minutes before Dr. Grayson came to the phone._

_His knees buckled when the doctor told him that there had been an incident. She told him that his wife had been injured while working in a remote area of the dig site. She kept her descriptions vague, and he was too shocked to ask for more detail. Bones was hurt, nothing else mattered._

"_She told me to tell you, and I quote, if you do something stupid like trying to go AWOL, a court-martial will be the least of your worries because I'll kill you myself," the doctor told him._

_Booth smiled and allowed himself to breathe for what felt like the first time since he opened the email. That sounded exactly like his Bones, and maybe that meant that it wasn't as bad as he feared._

**BnBnBnBnBnB**

"Miss Wick and I were working in a remote area of the dig, about a mile away from the main location," Brennan said. "We had come across a rather significant find had chosen to stay behind when the others went back to camp for the night."

Booth squeezed her hand, encouraging her to continue.

"Miss Wick had located a cave very near the site where we had been working, and she went off to investigate. She had gotten, perhaps about one hundred feet from the entrance when I heard her call out to me. I went to join her to see what it was that she had found," she said, taking in a deep breath as Booth rubbed her hand between his. He leaned in and placed a gentle kiss against her temple. "I was approximately halfway between Daisy and the entrance to the cave when a massive explosion occurred," she told them as her voice began to falter.

"It turns out that the cave had been used as a hiding place for the local militant army, and the guerillas had it booby-trapped," Booth said, picking up the story. "Just as Bones entered the cave, Daisy stepped on a trip wire."

"The explosion caused the walls of the cave to collapse," Brennan said. "And Daisy was caught beneath the rubble."

**BnBnBnBnB**

"I went off by myself," Daisy said, swallowing a lump in her throat as her eyes began to fill with tears. "Dr. Brennan was perfectly safe, working on our find but I called her to see what I thought I'd found in the cave. She was there because I called her…. I… I set off the explosion, Lance."

Lance sat and listened to Daisy tell her story. She had obviously been through something horrific, but both she and Dr. Brennan had survived. He was working through possible scenarios that would result in the obvious trauma that both women had suffered. Brennan had been through similar events, traumas that would incapacitate most people, but she always persevered and did so without the help of a professional.

This time was different, this time she had sought help. When he had first learned that Dr. Brennan was currently in therapy with another doctor, he had been almost jealous. His feelings were hurt that she would open up to another therapist, and even more that she refused to resume their sessions with Booth.

He held Daisy's hand and let her continue her story.

"I was trapped under a pile of boulders," she told him. "Dr. Brennan was trapped, also. She was injured, she'd been knocked out. She was bleeding, and I couldn't move to get to her."

**BnBnBnBnB**

"We were each buried under the rubble," Brennan said. "I was struck in the head, or fell into the rocks," she went on. "I still don't know which. In any case, I was unconscious for an indeterminate amount of time. When I finally awakened, I was able to move the boulders under which I was buried," she said.

Hodgins winced at the thought of his friend once again being buried under a pile of rubble, and pulled his wife close to his side.

"Freeing Miss Wick was much more difficult," she said. "I was unaware of it at the time, but I had suffered some internal injuries that were ultimately exacerbated by the strenuous activity of removing the debris which was trapping Daisy."

Booth began to feel the same old feelings of guilt and inadequacy that he felt each time he heard about something happening to his wife. Years ago, he had appointed himself her protector. It was his job to make sure that she was safe, at least in his mind. He'd gone through his own therapy back on base when he was having trouble focusing on anything but the fact that Bones was hurt and worse, that she was hurting emotionally, and he couldn't be with her.

Brennan saw the look in his eyes and knew exactly what it meant. She'd gone through something similar, and was still going through it, actually. She had gone into therapy because she couldn't bear the guilt, the thought that she couldn't save her child… worse, the fact that saving her child hadn't been her first thought when she was in that cave.

"It's not your fault," she said, softly. She turned to him and placed a sweet kiss against his lips. "You can't always be there, Booth. It's inevitable. Things will happen. We aren't together twenty-four hours a day…and there are going to be times when one of us won't be there to protect the other."

"Damned regulations," Booth muttered. "I should have been there."

"Even if you hadn't been bound by your commitment to the Army," she told him, "you wouldn't have been there. You would have been here."

"But I could have come to you, after," he said. "I could have been there for you like you were for me. I _should_ have been there for you. Some husband I turned out to be."

"Stop it," she ordered. "Stop feeling sorry for yourself. You are an incredible husband, and you know it. Better than I deserve. What happened was terrible, but it happened. And we're dealing with it…and we're moving on."

Jack and Angela watched their friends in what turned out to be a very intimate moment. Both were concerned for the other couple, but for very different reasons. What they would both have agreed on, had they been able to speak about it, was that there was something missing from the story.

"What you went through was horrible, Dr. B.," Hodgins said. "I don't even want to think about what it must have been like, but I don't understand. Your injuries were obviously not life-threatening, and yet this situation was most definitely life-changing. What are we missing?"

**BnBnBnBnBnB**

_February:_

"_That's my Bones," Booth said with a slight chuckle. "If she's threatening me with bodily harm, then she must be okay."_

_He waited for a moment for Dr. Grayson to answer in the affirmative. When she didn't answer at all, he went on._

"_She __**is**__ okay, isn't she?"_

"_Physically," Dr. Grayson said, "she'll heal. Emotionally, it's going to take some time."_

_Booth realized the implications of what the woman was saying._

"_The baby?" he asked, almost in a whisper._

"_I'm sorry," were the only words the doctor said._

**BnBnBnBnBnB**

"After I was released from the infirmary," Daisy said. "I couldn't face Dr. Brennan. I couldn't go back to the project, so I came home. I went to San Diego and stayed with my parents. That's where I've been for the last four months."

Sweets was beginning to understand Daisy's sudden disappearance. Selfishly, he realized that it had nothing to do with their tentative reconciliation over Christmas, and that made him happy. He knew that she was still hurting, but the psychologist in him was asking 'why?' He'd seen Daisy go through tough times before and he knew all about the aftermath of Dr. Brennan's ordeal with the gravedigger. Both of them had been behaving uncharacteristically. Something else happened in that cave, and he had to know what it was.

"It's my fault, Lance," Daisy said, now openly sobbing. "I went off on my own. I wanted to find something that I could put my name on. I was looking for recognition. I'm the one that drew Dr. Brennan into that cave. I'm the one who tripped the explosion, and I'm the one who caused Dr. Brennan to lose her baby."

_Baby?_

**BnBnBnBnBnB**

"Yes, Jack," Brennan said, squeezing Booth's hand. "There is more to the story. It is what explains my erratic behavior and mood swings since I've been back. I know you've both been wondering why I'm seeing a therapist who isn't Sweets…"

Booth leaned over and kissed her temple as she continued.

"We were in that cave for three days," she said, "without food and without water. I was twelve weeks pregnant at the time. The lack of sustenance, combined with the stress of the situation and my injuries, along with the strain caused by moving the boulders, caused me to lose the baby."

**AN- And there you have "it." I hope it lived up to your expectations… there is still more to the story, but now we know know Brennan has been dealing with. Please take a minute to drop me a note and let me know what you think.**


	10. The Rules

**AN- Your response to this story has been overwhelming and really touches my heart… thank you so much! Keep reviewing… it keeps me going! ;- ) **

**For those of you who were disappointed by the big reveal, I'm sorry… I had hoped it would live up to expectations. I had to let the story tell itself, and this is the way it played out. Honestly, right up until the moment I wrote it, I had planned for the event to be more graphic and much more violent. But this story is really about dealing with the emotional and psychological pain of the trauma… I think the way it played out was perfect for the tone of the story. **

Chapter 10 - Rules

"Oh my god, Brennan!" Angela jumped up from the chair and went to hug her best friend, tears in both of their eyes. "Oh, sweetie, I'm so sorry. That must have been so hard for you. You should have told me…"

"I'm sorry, Angela," Brennan said, as Angela moved back so they could see each other's face. "Please don't be angry with me, I just couldn't talk about it…"

"What? No. Why would I be angry with you?"

"You were angry that I didn't tell you Booth and I got married," Brennan said. "I suppose these are the kinds of things you're always telling me that best friends should tell each other."

"Well, they _are,_" Angela said, "but I just meant you should have told me then. I would have flown out to help you."

Angela took both of Brennan's hands in hers as she looked over at Booth.

"Boys," she said. "Can you give us a minute?"

"Sure," Booth said, glancing over to his wife. She nodded to him, indicating she'd be all right with Angela. "We'll run down to Sid's and pick up some dinner."

"That's a good idea," Angela said.

"I'll be right back," Booth said into Brennan's ear as he leaned in to kiss her goodbye.

"I'll be fine," she answered quietly.

The women watched in silence as their husbands made their way out of the apartment. Angela stood up and turned toward the kitchen.

"I don't know about you," she said. "But I need a glass of wine."

"Sounds good," Brennan replied, standing up to follow.

Angela went to retrieve two glasses, while Brennan pulled a bottle of Pinot Noir from her wine rack.

"Red okay?" she asked.

"Perfect," Angela answered, taking down the appropriate glasses.

Brennan opened the bottle, setting it aside while she took out some Edam and a box of water crackers. She spread the snack out on a plate and carried over to the island where Angela was seated. She went back to the counter to pick up the wine and brought it over before sitting down across from her friend.

"It's all very confusing," Brennan said, pouring the wine.

"What is?" Angela asked.

"There seem to be so many rules governing social interactions and relationships. I'm never sure if I'm doing it correctly, or even if I'm capable of doing it correctly."

"First of all," Angela told her, "you're doing fine. You seem to be handling the whole marriage thing really well…"

"That's different," Brennan said.

"How so?"

"Things are just different with Booth. I don't have to worry about doing the wrong thing or saying the wrong thing. I know he'll love me anyway, and if I do or say something really wrong, he'll tell me."

"He's your guy, Bren," Angela said, truly happy for her friends. "He always has been."

There was an awkward pause, and the two women sat in silence for another moment before Angela spoke again.

"Look Brennan," she said. "I can't tell you how sorry I am for how I reacted to your wedding ring. But I was wrong. You are my best friend… you changed my life, you do realize that, don't you?"

She waited a moment, looking into friend's eyes before continuing.

"Brennan, if it weren't for you… I'd probably still be drawing caricatures on a sidewalk somewhere trying to scrape up enough money that elusive trip to Europe. But, because you believed in me… look at where I am. I'm a part of a respected team of scientist and law enforcers. Bren, what we do is incredible. It sucks that there is actually a need for it, but what we do…what you and Booth do for those victims' families… and because of you I am a part of that."

She stopped again, waiting for her words to sink in.

"And that trip to Europe? Let me tell you, spending a year in Paris with my sexy gazillionaire husband was a hell of a lot better than staying in a hostel and drawing tourists along the Champs Elyse. Your friendship changed my life, sweetie. There is no right and wrong in our relationship. There are no rules, Bren. It's just that I love you and I really want to see you be happy."

"I love you, too, Angela," Brennan said. "You know, Booth told me once that there is more than one kind of family. And you and Hodgins, Cam, and even Sweets and Daisy… you are our family. I just wish I was better at conveying those feelings."

"You're getting there," Angela answered. "You know, maybe I was wrong. Maybe there is at least one rule…"

"What's that?"

"The rule is that not only do we, as best friends, have to be there for each other, but we have to be able to let the other one be there for us."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, Brennan, that best friends rely on each other. I know that Booth has always been_ that_ best friend for you… but let me be the back-up. Take now, what we've been talking about this evening. I could have been there for you. I _should_ have been there for you. Booth couldn't come… but I could. I would have come… I wish you'd called me."

"I couldn't do that," Brennan said. "You were on your honeymoon. I wouldn't have wanted you to interrupt that for me."

"Ten months in to a year-long honeymoon," Angela pointed out. "I think Jack could have survived without me for a few weeks. How are you, really?"

"I'm okay," Brennan answered. "I'm seeing Dr. Delaney weekly… but now that I have Booth, and you, I'm thinking of cutting back to every two weeks. Booth and I are going to have to start seeing Sweets again when we get back to work, I'm sure…"

Angela let out a long sigh.

"I can't even begin to imagine what it was like," she said.

"The hardest part has been the guilt," her friend answered. "I didn't even consider the fetus when I attempted to extricate Miss Wick from the fallen boulders…"

"Bren, you saved Daisy's life. She's very likely still alive because of you."

"Perhaps, but my baby isn't."

"You're not being fair to yourself, Brennan. You did the right thing."

"How can you say that, Angela? I killed my baby."

"No, Brennan. You didn't. It was an accident, a terrible accident," Angela said as she reached over to wipe the tears from her friend's face. "And you don't know that anything you did caused what happened to the baby… you were buried under those rocks, yourself. You said you had internal injuries. Sweetie, there probably wasn't anything you could have done differently."

"Maybe it was for the best," Brennan said. "What kind of mother doesn't even think of her child?"

"Don't do that. You know you're going to be a great mother. We've all seen you with Parker… Sweetie, you will be a terrific mother. It just wasn't meant to be right now. You and Booth just got married. You've only been living together a month. Give it time."

**BnBnBnBnB**

Booth and Hodgins sat at the bar at Wong Fu's, each nursing a beer silently as they waited for Sid to prepare their takeout order.

"It sucks, dude," Hodgins said. "How are you holding up?"

"I'm fine," Booth answered. "I'm just worried about Bones."

"She's strong. She'll be all right."

"She's not as strong as everyone thinks," Booth said with a sigh.

"Maybe not," Hodgins replied. "But she can handle this."

"I know that," Booth said. "But I'm not sure she does."

"Then remind her," Hodgins answered. "She's got you… and Ange… and me."

"I never really thanked you for taking care of her in that car," Booth said.

"It was her, man," Hodgins replied. "She kept me going. And she did it because of you. She knew you'd find us. Even then, dude, she had total faith in you. And it's my guess that's what's getting her through now. She's knows you're gonna be there, no matter what."

"I told her once that I'd die for her," Booth said. "That I'd kill for her."

"But you've gotta _live_ for her," Hodgins said. "She's probably looking to your lead for how to move on and get past this. I can't imagine what it's like, and I won't pretend to. But what she told you back there is right. You've both got to move on, get past the pain and the loss…but most importantly, you've gotta move past the guilt. It's only then that you'll be able to move on with your life."

"Damn, Bug man," Booth said, sporting a genuine smile. "When did you get to be so smart?"

Hodgins smiled in return but chose not to comment.

"My guess is Angie is telling her pretty much the same thing," he told him instead.

**BnBnBnBnB**

"The house has a nursery," Brennan said. "It's very cute. Pale green, with a forest mural on one wall."

"Sounds nice," Angela said.

"I don't think I'd want to change it."

"Yeah?"

"It's very nice, and would be suitable for either a boy or a girl," Brennan said.

"Tell me about the rest of the house," Angela said.

"It's really very beautiful," Brennan answered. "I think I'd want to repaint the master bedroom, and Booth wants to make some changes to his man room, but otherwise it's really perfect."

"Did you call the realtor?" Angela asked.

"Yes," Brennan replied. "We looked at a few places in Maryland and Virginia this morning, and we decided that we really do want to stay in the District. I called this morning and made an offer. We should know something by the end of the week."

"I can't wait to see it," Angela said. "Better yet, I can't wait to help you go furniture shopping."

"What's wrong with my furniture?"

"Nothing, sweetie. But you can't tell me there is enough furniture in this apartment to fill a house in Forest Hills. I still can't believe Booth is willing to live there."

"It is ridiculously large," Brennan said with a smile. "Much more than we'll really ever need. But I have to tell you, Ange…there was just something about it. When we walked in, I just knew it was the one. I could see us living there."

"I'm sure it will be great," Angela said. She paused a minute before changing the subject. "So, you're coming back to work tomorrow?"

"Yes," Brennan answered. "Finally."

"I never really thought about it before, but I think Cam said something about Daisy coming in this week. I think she might be looking to come back, how do you feel about that?"

"Why would I have any feeling either way? I think it might be a good thing, she's very talented," Brennan said. "But didn't Cam hire Dr. Edison? With Mr. Bray and Miss Wick both defending their dissertations this fall, I don't think we're going to need four forensic anthropologists on staff…"

"She hired Clark on a temporary contract to fill in for you," Angela replied. "You still haven't hired an assistant, and that coupled with the fact that you are continually working more FBI cases, I think she's okay with having more hands on deck."

"I don't know what that means," Brennan said, much to Angela's amusement. "But of course, at this point we don't know what my ongoing role is going to be with the FBI cases."

"Now _I_ don't know what that means," Angela retorted.

"With Booth and I being married, I don't know what kind of involvement the FBI is going to allow me have in his cases."

"And you're okay with that?"

"No, but I don't have much choice, do I? I've at least had six months to consider it. Of course I want to work with Booth… but our marriage is a fact, and there are rules."

"And when has that ever stopped you, Mrs. Booth?"

**BnBnBnBnB**

"I heard Daisy's coming back to the lab this week," Hodgins said. "You think Dr. B's gonna be okay with that?"

"Why wouldn't she?"

Hodgins didn't say anything, just gave him that look that said, Are you kidding me?

"She doesn't blame Daisy," Booth said.

"Yeah, I guess she wouldn't."

"If anything, she blames herself," Booth said. "She's really looking forward to getting back to work. I don't think Daisy being there would be a problem for her. At this point, I don't see anything being a problem for her as long as she's back at the lab."

"What about the bureau?" Hodgins asked. "Are they going to let you keep working together?"

"What?" Booth said. "Why wouldn't they?"

"Oh, I don't know. I think they might frown on the idea of their agents being _married_ to their partners."

"Right," Booth said. "Well, all I can do is let our record speak for itself. I'm better with her than without her."

"Maybe they'll bend the rules for you since you're the best of the best and all," Hodgins said. "I mean, they're the government… they _never_ play by the rules."


	11. Back in the Saddle

Chapter 11 – Back in the Saddle

Dr. Camille Saroyan sat behind her desk. It felt good to be back in the saddle. Not that she'd ever left, but with the majority of her team missing-in-action for the past year, she'd felt more like a substitute teacher in a middle school science class than the head of the forensics lab at one of the most prestigious museums in the world.

Today was the day that Dr. Brennan came back. Brennan in the lab made everything return to normal. It was Brennan's lab, and they were all Brennan's people. Cam didn't delude herself; she knew that she was just the boss on paper. In the beginning, that had bothered her… but now, she understood the importance of her role. She was the administrator. She was the one who kept a rein on the insanity that could ensue when you let some of the world's greatest minds run free in a state of the art laboratory.

In what she knew to be a very ironic twist of fate, in the Jeffersonian's Medico-Legal lab, she was the brain and Dr. Temperance Brennan was the heart.

She was reading over the quarterly budget reports when there was a knock at her open door. She looked up to see an unusually subdued Daisy Wick standing there.

"Dr. Saroyan, thank you for seeing me," the young woman said as she entered Cam's office.

"Of course, Daisy," Cam answered casually. "Welcome back. We were following the project from here on the sidelines. You did some great work. You and Dr. Brennan did the Jeffersonian proud."

"Thank you," Daisy replied quietly, with a polite smile.

"Please," Cam said, gesturing to the chair across from her desk. "Have a seat."

She waited a moment for the other woman to sit down and then continued.

"Dr. Goodman was exceptionally pleased by the reports from the dig," she said. "So much so, in fact that we'd like to extend an offer to you…"

"Excuse me for interrupting, Dr. Saroyan," Daisy said. "But that's why I'm here. I've come to remove my name from candidacy for any position with the Medico-Legal lab."

"You… what?"

Cam was used to chaos. She was used to being the last one to know things that went on among the lab staff. And yet, it never ceased to amaze her when they'd completely throw her for a loop. Since the day she'd met her, Daisy Wick had followed Brennan around like a needy little puppy, seeming to sustain herself from Brennan's attention alone. It was the most extreme case of hero worship that she'd ever seen. Now, she was prepared to offer her a paid position working alongside her idol, and the young woman had come to remove her name from candidacy?

Dr. Camille Saroyan felt as if she'd just stepped into an episode of "The Twilight Zone."

Yep, things were definitely getting back to normal.

"I don't understand," she said simply.

"I've decided to accept a teaching position at American University," Daisy answered.

"But you've been interning with Dr. Brennan for two years," Cam said. "I assumed that was with the ultimate goal of working here at the Jeffersonian."

"I've completed my dissertation," Daisy went on as if Cam hadn't spoken. "As soon as it's affirmed and I receive my doctorate, I'll begin teaching."

Cam sat silently, looking at the young anthropologist seated across from her. She truly was at a loss for what to say.

"Dr. Saroyan, I appreciate your offer… whatever it might have been. But I feel that for personal reasons, it is in everyone's best interest that I not work with Dr. Brennan."

**BnBnBnBnB**

Dr. Temperance Brennan sat behind her desk. She'd had Booth drop her off early; she wanted to arrive with as little fanfare as possible. She wanted to reacquaint herself with her lab in the quiet of the early morning, before the other scientists and technicians arrived. If DC was her physical home, and Booth her emotional one… the Jeffersonian was definitely her spiritual home. It was the place where she could lose herself in empiricism, in rational thinking, in science. It had been said before but now, after having been away for more than a year, she knew it to be true… this was her house of reason.

The academic year had recently ended, and she had final grades to approve. Although she had been away, there were still students that she taught and supervised via various methods of communication from the project.

She reviewed the files from the current cases being worked from deep bone storage. She found that she was impressed with the work that Mr. Bray, Mr. Fischer, Mr. Vaziri and Mr. Nigel-Murray had done in her absence.

Slowly, the morning had progressed and as she went over reports and student papers and case files, the darkness of the pre-dawn had made way for the morning sunlight and people had begun milling around the lab.

Darkened workstations were now lit and work was being done throughout the lab. If she closed her eyes, she could actually feel the hum of activity buzzing around her.

Dr. Temperance Brennan was finally home, and she knew that all would be right with the world.

**BnBnBnBnB**

Seeley Booth sat behind his desk. It was good to be back… but something just didn't feel right. He didn't feel like himself. He thought that being back in DC, with Bones by his side and back with the bureau, things would be normal and he'd begin feeling like himself again.

He knew it would take time. He'd been through this before. Assimilation to civilian life is one of the hardest things for a soldier to handle. Booth knew that as well as anyone. His return from Kosovo had nearly killed him. He'd turned to drinking and gambing, and he'd nearly lost everything. But at the time, he'd felt he had nothing to lose.

But this time, things were completely different. He had everything to lose. He was married to the most incredible woman in the world, he had an amazing kid… the three of them were going to have a great life. Maybe someday in the not too distant future, they'd even add another kid or two to their happy family.

But none of that would come to pass if he didn't get a handle on things. Right now.

He'd been so focused on his wife and the trauma that she'd experienced that he hadn't had time to deal with his own assimilation issues.

He felt guilty for having to take lives, even in the line of duty.

He felt guilty for training young men to be killers and have to carry that same guilt throughout their lives.

He felt guilty for leaving his family behind to serve his country.

He felt guilty for leaving his brothers and sisters in arms behind, leaving them over there to suffer and fight while he returned to the safe harbor of his family.

He felt guilty for not being there for his wife…for not being able to save their unborn child… and for not being able to be at her side while she dealt with the hell of not only having nearly been buried alive-again, but for the loss of their child.

He wanted to put all of that behind him and get on with his life. He wished that he could just shove it all into one of those drawers like they have down in Limbo at the Jeffersonian. If he could just lock the feelings away, then they couldn't eat at him.

He'd told Bones and Hodgins that he was all right. And he was, or at least he would be. He was stressed, but he could handle it. He'd been through this before. He could do it again. He just needed to let off some steam. Maybe he'd hit the gym or the boxing ring after work tonight.

He got up and headed up to Hacker's office for the meeting that would decide what steps he would be taking in his immediate future.

**BnBnBnBnB**

"I'm sorry, Daisy," Cam said. "I know you said it was personal, but I have to ask. What possible reason could there be that you couldn't work with Dr. Brennan?"

"I just feel that Dr. Brennan would be more comfortable without having me close by, Dr. Saroyan," Daisy answered. "I can't say more than that."

"Okay," Cam replied. "Then if it's about Dr. Brennan's comfort and not your own, shouldn't she be the one to make that determination?"

"This wasn't a rash decision, Dr. Saroyan," Daisy said, her lip beginning to quiver. "After careful consideration, I believe that this is for the best."

"You'll forgive me if I don't agree," Cam said, bluntly. "Dr. Brennan and I will be deciding on three positions, and you've clearly earned one of them."

"Thank you," Daisy said, sincerely. "But please, I have to ask that you respect my decision."

"Let's do this," Cam suggested diplomatically. "I won't remove your name from candidacy until I speak with Dr. Brennan. If she agrees and feels the way that you seem to think that she will, then we will consider only the other five candidates. If you're wrong and she doesn't feel the way you assume she does, then we'll keep you in consideration. How does that sound?"

"Thank you, Dr. Saroyan," Daisy answered. "That is an acceptable compromise." She agreed, but only so that Cam would let it drop. She knew she was right and Dr. Brennan wouldn't want her around. How could she?

She'd spent two years watching the Jeffersonian team work with the FBI to put murderers behind bars. Dr. Brennan worked with a singular focus on justice for the victims. How could she stand to spend every day seeing the woman who had in essence killed her own child?

**BnBnBnBnB**

"Booth," Andrew Hacker said, with a smile on his face. "Have a seat."

Booth couldn't tell if the smile was genuine but decided to play along, especially since Sam Cullen was joining them for the meeting.

"Thank you, sir," Booth said, taking the chair next to Cullen.

"Welcome back," Cullen said.

"Thank you," Booth answered with a slight nod.

Hacker looked down at the file on his desk.

"So you've been released by the Army," he said. "Physical and Psychological evals completed…"

"I was honorably discharged, sir."

"Yes," Hacker went on. "You completed your recertification training, for which you scored even higher than anticipated. You've taken your marksmanship qualification…"

"Andrew," Cullen said. "We've been though all that. Let's just get to the point of why we're here."

"Right. Agent Booth, you are qualified to return to duty as a Supervisory Special Agent in the Major Crimes Division…"

Smiling, Booth began to stand up.

"…but in light of other circumstances, we feel that it would be irresponsible to put you back in that position."

_What? _

Confused, Booth looked to Cullen.

"Booth," Cullen said with a sigh. "We don't feel that it's in the bureau's best interest to reassign you to the Jeffersonian."

At that moment, it was like all the weight that Booth had been carrying on his back collapsed on top of him. He felt as if he couldn't breathe. He stood up and turned to face Cullen.

"You 've got to be kidding me!" Booth ranted. "No one else can work with the squints like I can. We're a team. A damn good team. And I've got the close rate to prove it."

"We have other factors to consider, Booth," Hacker said. "And frankly, in this case your solve rate alone isn't enough."

"This is about my wife, isn't it?" Booth said, spinning around to turn his focus on his one-time rival.

"In essence," Cullen replied. "Yes. Booth, you know the rules. We can't have you working in the field with your wife as your partner."

The pressure Booth was feeling from the weight he was under pressed him even further and he snapped.

"This isn't about the rules! This is about him and his bruised ego!" Booth was speaking to Cullen and pointing at Hacker. "He's had the hots for Bones since he met her and she barely gave him the time of day. She went out with him to be polite 'cause he was my boss and he kept asking… this is bullshit!"

"Booth!" Cullen said sternly, standing in front of the younger man. "You're out of line."

"No, he's out of line! He's just got his balls in a twist 'cause he's never gonna get the chance to bang my wife!"

"That's it!" Hacker said, standing. "Hand over your gun and your badge."

"Just wait a minute, Andrew," Cullen said before turning his attention back to a seething Booth. "Booth, you need to calm down before you say another word." He put his hand on Booth's shoulder and let him to a far corner of the room. "This isn't you. You know it and I know it. You've got to deal with whatever it is, but right now Hacker's right. I can't put you back on the streets like this. You've got to get it together, son."

**BnBnBnBnB**

Cam sat on the sofa in Brennan's office going over with her the candidates for hire with the lab.

"We have three positions to fill," Cam said. "I want to hire two full time forensic anthropologists. We have it in the budget, and it will significantly decrease your workload making you more available for either the FBI cases or the academic cases…whichever you need to devote more time to. Whomever we hire will report to me, through you. You will assign their duties."

She handed Brennan a file.

"You also need to hire an assistant," she went on. "My recommendation would be Mr. Nigel-Murray or Mr. Vaziri, as they each have one year remaining before they complete their dissertations. Either one would make an excellent grad-assistant."

"You're right," Brennan agreed, they are both excellent candidates."

"Then we have Dr. Edison, Mr. Bray, Mr. Fischer and Miss Wick," Cam said. "The latter three will be defending their dissertations and receiving their doctorates over the summer semester. And Dr. Edison has done an excellent job filling in for you where he could over the past year."

"Again, all excellent choices," Brennan said.

"Dr. Brennan," Cam began. "Would you have any specific objection to hiring Miss Wick?"

"No," Brennan answered. "Why would I? She has shown remarkable aptitude for the work in her tenure here and was a very valued contributor to the Maluku project. Why would you ask that?"

"She seems to feel that you would not want to work with her."

"That's absurd," Brennan said. "Why would she… Oh. Now I think I understand…"

"What?" Cam said. "What did I miss?"

"I'm certain that Miss Wick feels that I hold her responsible for an incident that happened while we were in Maluku..." she paused, looking across the coffee table at the woman who was not really her boss, but had become a true friend. She knew that Cam deserved to hear the whole story. "Cam," she said. "You know that Booth and I were married in December. Soon after I returned to the project, I discovered I was pregnant. There was an accident while Daisy and I were working in the field and I lost the baby…"

Brennan stopped talking when she noticed Booth standing in the doorway. He looked lost and there was something in his face that she didn't recognize.

"Sorry to interrupt," he said. "But Camille, can I have a minute with my wife?"

"Uh, sure," Cam said. She was shell-shocked, but she wasn't sure if it was from the bomb that Brennan had just dropped or from the look on her old friend's face. "I'll just be in my office." She got up, taking her files and closing the door behind her.

"Are you okay?" Brennan asked, getting up to walk over to her husband.

"Not really," he answered, taking her in his arms.

"They're assigning us another agent," she said. It was a statement rather than a question. "Where will you be working?"

"I won't," he said. "I've been suspended pending a psychological and code of conduct review."


	12. Shadows and Light

Chapter 12 – Shadows and Light

The afternoon sun shone through the big picture windows and cast a warm glow on the wood floor. The warm, peaceful tranquility of the apartment did not translate to its lone inhabitant. Seeley Booth felt anything but peaceful.

At the moment, he'd be hard pressed to recall a time in which held felt more tormented. For weeks, he'd been slowly getting more and more mired down under the pressure and stress caused from his unbearable load of guilt. He knew intellectually that there were things that he had to deal with, but he'd shoved them to the backburner in an effort to focus his attention on his family. His own issues didn't matter, he knew he'd get to them eventually, but other things had been more important.

His first priority since returning from Afghanistan had been to support his wife. Bones had just been coming to terms with her emotions. She was relishing the idea of being in love, even though they were conducting their relationship long distance. She had been so excited to tell him that they were going to have baby…he felt it, even from a letter when they were separated by time and distance. He was so proud of her for embracing her newfound openness, and he was so in love with her that he couldn't imagine anything that could cause them any pain.

But karma really could be a bitch.

And bad things do happen to good people… and love isn't always the answer.

Those and a hundred other platitudes went through his mind when he'd received that message from Maluku. When he'd hung up the call with Dr. Grayson, he'd felt like he'd been run over by a Mack truck.

He'd been too cocky. He'd been too happy. He should have known that it couldn't last. This was the way things always went, he began to feel like Icarus flying too close to the sun. Whenever things started to go really right, his wings would melt and he'd crash to the earth with a sharp kick in the gut. But it wasn't supposed to happen that way for Bones. She deserved some happiness, and he wanted to be the one to give it to her.

It was bad enough that she was all alone in some god-forsaken jungle when they lost their baby. Now he'd gone and disappointed her again by not being able to handle his own emotional baggage. He'd embarrassed himself, and her, by acting like a jackass with his bosses.

She'd offered to come home with him when he went to her office to tell her that he'd been suspended. He encouraged her to stay. It was her first day back, and he'd rather be alone to lick his wounds, anyway.

Some alpha male he turned out to be.

**BnBnBnBnB**

It was late when Brennan came home. The apartment was dark, and quiet. She juggled the bags she was carrying to close and lock the door before moving in to the kitchen to set them down. She left the takeout bags on the island and carried her purse and messenger bag out to the living room.

The television was off and the room was bathed in the soft purple hues of twilight. She had expected to find her husband sitting in front of the television, and was surprised to find the room vacant.

She hadn't seen his car in the parking lot, but she knew that the last time he was suspended from duty the bureau had taken his car along with his badge and his gun.

She left her bags on the floor alongside the sofa and made her way down the hall to the bedroom. She opened the door quietly and found the man she loved lying in their bed on his side with the covers up around his shoulders.

She stepped out of her shoes and walked over to the bed. He was sound asleep, and she didn't have the heart to wake him. She kissed him softly on the forehead and went in to the bathroom. Brennan's thoughts were on her husband as she silently went about her bedtime routine. She knew that he'd been keeping his troubles to himself; he'd been so worried about her. She didn't know what she could do to help him, but she knew she had to try. Booth was always there for her and now it was time for her to be the strong one and to take care of him.

She decided it was going to be an early night, and the cartons of Thai were long forgotten as she pulled back the covers and slid in next to him.

**BnBnBnBnB**

Booth lay awake, looking at his wife as the silver moonlight streaked through the window illuminating her beautiful face.

He hadn't heard her come in, but he'd slept more peacefully with her by his side. He watched her sleep, loving that he had the freedom to do that now. He reached over and gently touched her cheek.

"Hi," she murmured softly.

"Go back to sleep," he said, leaning over to place a serene kiss on her cheek.

She moved over to snuggle against him, bringing a wide smile to his face. He had thought that he knew her so well, and in fact he had known her better than anyone else, but Booth was surprised to learn that his Bones was a snuggler. He thought she was probably a little stunned by the discovery, herself.

"How are you?" she asked as he wrapped her in his strong embrace.

"I'm okay," he said, unconvincingly.

"Don't lie to me, Seeley Booth," she said.

She scooted up against his chest so they could look each other in the eye.

"Baby, talk to me," she said. "There are no glass walls, no prying eyes. It's just you and me. Tell me what happened today."

He closed his eyes, steeling himself to find the answer to her question.

"You married an idiot," he said.

"No," she said with a smile on her lips. "That happened almost seven months ago. I asked what happened today."

"Oh," he replied, his smile mirroring hers. "Bones thinks she's a comedian now…"

"I've told you before, Booth," she said. "I can be very amusing." She sighed and her smile faltered just a bit. "I just wanted to see you smile," she said sincerely. "Tell me what happened."

"I love you," he said as he leaned in for a long, slow kiss. "I'll never be worthy of you."

"Stop that," she said. "You're stalling."

"I think I liked you better when you weren't so intuitive," he replied, and placing another quick kiss on her lips, he continued. "When I got to the office this morning, I sorta locked myself in to my office. I was just trying to get a feel for the place again, you know?"

She nodded knowing exactly what he meant, as she'd done the very same thing.

"I thought it would feel really good," he went on. "You know, being back in the saddle again. But it just didn't feel right. I didn't feel right. I didn't feel like myself, and I couldn't focus. First, I kept thinking about my guys in the unit still over there fighting, and then I couldn't stop worrying about you, and Parker. I realized that I was really keyed up and figured I just needed to let off some steam. So I thought maybe I'd hit the ring, or the gym on my way home…:

He closed his eyes as she traced slow circles on his chest, quelling his clashing emotions as he continued to tell his story.

"…then I went up for the meeting with Hacker and Cullen. I thought I was prepared. I mean we'd talked about it, you and I. We knew they weren't going to let us work together, and I figured they'd assign you guys a new agent. What your team does is too important…"

"Our team," she corrected.

"Thanks baby," he said. "But I just don't know what happened. I walked in to the office and Hacker had this smarmy smile on his face, and I wanted to deck him. I kept my cool, figured I should be the better man. I won, after all…"

"I'm not a prize to be won, Booth."

"No," he replied. "You're not a prize or a possession, but you are everything and I'm the luckiest S.O.B. on the planet. But then when he told me I was being reassigned, I kinda lost it. I told them that no one could work with the squints like I do, and that our record speaks for itself…"

"And it should," she said.

"But then when Hacker said that my record wasn't enough, I totally lost it. I said some really stupid things, Bones. I was way out of line with Hacker. I guess I'm lucky I'm only on suspension. He could have fired me. Thank god Cullen was there to talk us both down."

"What did you say?" she asked.

"It doesn't really matter," he said, embarrassed that he'd have to tell her what he'd said to Hacker.

"It was about me, wasn't it?"

"Yes, baby," he said. "It was about you, and it was crude and insensitive and I'm really ashamed of myself. I'd rather not talk about it."

"If it was about having sex," she said. "You were probably right. You know I never really had any interest in Andrew, right?"

"Yeah Bones," he said. "I know. Do me a favor, will ya? Let's not talk about past lovers or old boyfriends… or any other men when we're in our bed, okay?"

"Okay," she answered. "So, what happened?"

"Hacker asked for my gun and badge," he said. "Cullen talked us both down, but when it came right down to it, he sided with Hacker. Said I'm too volatile to be on the streets."

"What does that mean?"

"It means six weeks suspension, with two mandatory therapy sessions per week. Once the six weeks are up, I"ll be reevaluated, after that, we'll see what happens."

"Will you be seeing Dr. Wyatt?"

"No," he said with a groan. "Sweets."

"Sweets?"

"Sweets."

"Maybe I can get you in with Dr. Delaney," she offered.

"Nope," he answered. "It has to be an FBI shrink and Hacker says it's gotta be Sweets. I think that's part of my punishment."

"This is unacceptable," she said, sitting up.

"Thanks, babe," he said. "But there's nothing we can do about it."

"No," she said. "That's not what I mean. You need help, Booth. You think I don't see it, but I do. I always have. You carry the weight of the world on your shoulders, and yes I know what that means. You spend so much time taking care of everyone else that you don't take care of yourself until it's too late."

She spoke so vehemently that he was surprised by her words.

"I don't want it to be too late," she whispered against his chest.

He wrapped his arms around her and held her to him, and they laid together in a comforting silence. It was a long time before she spoke again.

"Booth?" she said.

"Yeah, Bones?"

"I still don't know how I feel about psychology, but talking to Amelia regularly really helped me… having someone objective to talk to," she said. "When you don't have to be brave and strong all the time, it helps to work through things. Dr. Delaney is doing that for me now, and Dr. Wyatt helped you," she went on. "You know… before. But I don't know if I can trust Sweets to help you now."

"Maybe we should give the kid a chance," he said. "He actually is pretty good. If I showed him a little respect and actually listened to him for a change, I might actually learn something," he said with a wry smile.

He kissed the top of her head as he looked over at the clock on the bedside table.

"It's late," he said. "And you've got to get up for work in the morning. We should try to get some sleep."

"Okay," she said, her voice already weary with sleep. "We can talk more in the morning."

It was quiet for a long time, and he thought she was asleep.

"Booth?"

"Yeah, Bones?"

"I love you."

"I know, baby," he said. "I love you, too. Go to sleep."


	13. Understanding

**AN- Sorry there was no update yesterday… but I've been fighting with Booth and what will probably be the next chapter. **

**This chapter represents a sort of paradigm shift where Brennan will become the one to take care of Booth, and we'll see more of his struggles in upcoming chapters. **

**This is turning out to be a lot longer and much bigger story than I first intended, so I just wanted to say "thank you" for hanging in there with me. Thanks for continuing to read and review. It means so much!**

**And I thought I'd address the "Baby" thing… I explained my thought on it as Brennan's thoughts in "The Story in the Truth," so I won't rehash them in every story. I see Booth as the kind of guy who would call his girl "Baby." I don't think Brennan would vehemently object to it… on the surface, the feminist in her might… but the "girl" in her, I think, would secretly cherish it. And maybe it's just 'cause I'm a Southern girl, but I don't find it demeaning or offensive at all. That said, LOL… you won't find the term used in this chapter. **

**On with the show…**

_BnBnBnBnBnBnBnBnB_

Chapter 13 – Understanding

Brennan knocked on the doorframe to Cam's office.

"Dr. Brennan," Cam said, looking up. "Please come in."

"Thank you," Brennan said. "I wanted to talk to you about the new positions."

"Sure, have a seat."

Cam indicated the chair across from her desk and Brennan sat down. It had been a week since Brennan had returned to the lab and they'd discussed hiring a few of the interns on a permanent basis.

Since Booth's suspension, things had been strained at home and Brennan was hoping to find some control by bringing some sense of normalcy to the lab.

"I would like to hire Mr. Bray and Miss Wick," Brennan said. "And we will need to continue whatever arrangement you had with the FBI in my absence. I will consult here in the lab, but I will not be working directly on any FBI cases, which means we should consider keeping Dr. Edison on as well."

Cam sat back, listening as Brennan laid out the plan that she'd obviously taken time to consider.

"What about your assistant?" Cam asked.

"Mr. Nigel-Murray," Brennan replied. "I realize that there may not be room in the budget to hire all four of them, and I'm prepared to make an endowment to cover the additional salary if necessary."

"You've given this a great deal of thought," Cam said.

"Yes," Brennan answered.

"It all makes sense," Cam said, slightly hesitantly. "But I'm concerned with the idea of you not working FBI cases…"

"I will be happy to consult," Brennan said. "But I will not be going in to the field."

"Because of Seeley?"

Brennan nodded.

"That is a part of it," she said. "Cullen never wanted me in the field; I blackmailed Booth into taking me out with him."

"I've heard the stories," Cam said with a smile.

"I have no desire to go into the field with another agent," Brennan said.

"Not to mention that Booth would hate it," Cam replied, knowingly.

"He's been struggling," Brennan admitted. She felt guilty discussing what her husband would consider his weakness with another person, but Cam was Booth's friend and she knew him very well. She might even have some insight that Brennan herself hadn't thought of. "And I don't want to do anything that might cause him a setback," she said.

"I think you're right," Cam agreed. "The last thing he needs right now is to see you working with another agent."

"That was my thought, as well," Brennan said. "That however, wasn't my only reasoning for making this decision. One of the reasons I went to Maluku was to get back to pure science. I'm very proud of what we do in conjunction with the FBI, but there is so much more… the bone storage cases, the academic cases, the new finds… I want to be available for those pursuits."

"I understand, and I think we can work with the budget," Cam said. "But I think we need to talk about Daisy."

"She's extremely capable," Brennan said.

"Yes," Cam said, drawing out the word. "But she has had some personality conflicts in the past…"

Brennan let out a long sigh.

"I think you'll find that she was changed by the work in Maluku," Brennan said. "She is very focused, and I came to enjoy working with her. I think she will be a strong addition to the team."

"Good. I agree, but I'm not sure Daisy will."

"I don't know what you mean."

"She's planning to accept a teaching position at American."

"That doesn't make sense," Brennan said. "She doesn't have the experience to teach and she has a passion for lab work."

"She's worried about you," Cam said bluntly. "I think she's afraid that you won't want to work with her and rather than face you having to tell her that, she's taken her name out of the running. You're probably going to have to talk to her."

"I haven't seen her since the cave-in. She left the project as soon as she was cleared medically. It is my understanding that she only returned to DC last week. Do you have her contact information?"

Cam looked up Daisy's information and wrote it down for Brennan.

"We'll hold off on making the offers until you've had a chance to talk to Daisy," she said, handing Brennan the slip of paper.

"I'll go to see her. I'm having a late lunch with Booth, and I have some other appointments this morning," Brennan said. "Would you mind my taking the rest of the day off?"

"Not at all, we don't have much going on," Cam said, as Brennan got up and prepared to leave. "And Dr. Brennan?"

"Yes?" 

"Thank you for asking."

**BnBnBnBnB**

Brennan felt mildly uncomfortable as she walked up to the front door of Lance Sweets' apartment building. She was sure that Sweets would be at work, which made the visit slightly less awkward, but she still wasn't certain what she was going to say. She suddenly found herself wishing that she'd been able to speak with Booth before arriving. She was uncomfortable, but she had made great strides in her interpersonal communication while she was working with the team in Maluku, and she'd gotten even farther thanks to Dr. Grayson.

She could do this.

It was easier to compartmentalize in the lab. It was easy to tell Cam that everything would be fine and that she had no problems with Daisy. Intellectually, she didn't. She was beginning to realize, however, that emotionally it was another thing altogether. She didn't blame Daisy for the accident. As she began to realize that she hadn't seen or spoken to Daisy since the incident, she realized she couldn't be sure of her reaction. It was with that thought that she arrived at the apartment door.

She took a deep breath as she raised her hand to knock.

"Dr. Brennan," Daisy exclaimed as she opened the door. "I'm sorry," she said. "I was just surprised to see you. What can I do for you?"

"May I come in?" Brennan asked.

"Oh! Yes, of course."

Daisy stepped aside and indicated for Brennan to enter the apartment. She led Brennan in to the living room and offered her a seat.

"What can I do for you, Dr. Brennan?" she asked.

Brennan noted that the young woman seemed nervous. She was experiencing the unfamiliar feeling, herself.

"Miss Wick," she said. "Daisy, I believe that we established a successful working relationship on the island, and I would like for that to continue at the Jeffersonian."

"But, Dr. Brennan," Daisy began to protest.

Holding up a hand, Brennan stopped her.

"I've discussed it with Dr. Saroyan, and you are one of the candidates to whom we would very much like to extend an offer. I came to speak with you about it before the formal offer is extended," she said slowly, "because Dr. Saroyan believes you would not be receptive to the offer."

"It's not that I'm not receptive, Dr. Brennan," Daisy said sadly. "I am, of course, very interested in working at the Jeffersonian. It's just that you've been so wonderful to me, it's been so, so incredible to study under you, and as much I as would be thrilled to work with you, I just can't do anything that would make you uncomfortable."

"Daisy," Brennan said slowly, putting together her thoughts. "I appreciate your concern, but it is unfounded. Although before we went to Maluku, I must admit that I found working with you to be rather annoying at times, but that changed over the past year when we were working on the project. I believe that we found a good rapport. You have proven yourself more than capable of the work…"

"But Dr. Brennan," Daisy said, looking down at her hands and then back up to Brennan. "What about… what about the…"

"The cave-in?" Brennan replied.

Daisy nodded.

"Yes," she said solemnly. "How can you want to work with me after what I did?"

"What you did?" Brennan said. "Daisy, you can't think that I hold you responsible for what happened."

Again, the young woman nodded silently, though Brennan saw the tears in her eyes.

"What happened to us," Brennan said, reaching forward to rest her hand on the younger woman's forearm. "What happened to both of us was an accident. It was a terrible accident. I don't blame you. You aren't responsible, Daisy. The militants, those guerrillas who planted the explosives, they're the only ones to blame."

"But your…" Daisy said, sniffing back a deep sob, "… your baby… How can you even look at me?"

"Daisy, it's not your fault," Brennan said firmly. "It's taken countless hours of therapy, conversations with my friends, and with my husband for me to understand that it isn't my fault, either."

"Really?"

"Yes, really. That isn't to say that I don't forget sometimes, or that I don't still grieve the loss… I'm getting through it. Though I don't believe in things like destiny or fate, everyone keeps telling me that this baby just wasn't meant to be. I don't know if I believe that, but it helps." She stopped for a moment, and then looked Daisy in the eye. "Dr. Saroyan is going to make you an offer, Miss Wick," she said in her most professional tone. "And I want you to seriously consider it. Please don't dismiss it on my account. You belong in the lab, and in the field, not in a classroom."

**BnBnBnBnB**

Next on Brennan's list of things to do was a visit to the J. Edgar Hoover Federal Building. She parked in the visitors' lot and walked up to the front door and through security, receiving a visitor's badge. She walked through the lobby and to the elevators, an odd feeling swept over her.

It had been well over a year since she'd been in these halls, and it felt strange to be there again. It felt even stranger to be there without Booth.

She shook off the feeling and continued on to her destination. Stepping off the elevator, she moved toward a receptionist's desk. She didn't recognize the young woman sitting there.

"Dr. Temperance Brennan," she said, introducing herself.

"Yes, Dr. Brennan," she said. "He's expecting you. Let me announce you."

She picked up the phone and let the man on the other end know that he had a visitor.

"He'll see you now," she said.

Brennan thanked her and made her way to the office.

"Temperance," he said, greeting her as she opened the door. "It's good to see you. You look well."

"Andrew," she said in greeting.

"I'm always happy to see you," he said, "but if you're here about Booth…"

"I'm here about me, Andrew," she said, interrupting him. "I wanted to give you the courtesy of telling you in person that I won't be handling any FBI cases."

"Temperance," he said, almost scolding. "You can't do that. We have a contract with the Jeffersonian."

"That's right, the FBI has contracted with the Jeffersonian to assist with special cases. The Jeffersonian currently has two and will soon have four forensic anthropologists on staff. The Jeffersonian will continue to maintain the terms of the contract," she said. "I will, along with Dr. Saroyan, supervise all cases and be available should my specific expertise be needed, but I will not be directly involved in the investigation of FBI cases."

"If this is about Booth," he said again.

"This is about what's best for my team and your cases, _Director_ Hacker," she said. "Nobody is more qualified to work the Jeffersonian team than Agent Booth. I understand that we can't work together in the field; we knew that was a possibility when we chose to marry. If I'm not directly involved in the cases, then there is no reason not to reinstate Agent Booth as the Jeffersonian liaison when he returns to active duty."

"If he returns to active duty," Hacker said.

"What does that mean?"

"Temperance," he said, "you know I'm fond of you, and I've always liked Booth. But he was completely out of line. He's got anger management issues that must be dealt with. This isn't the first time we've had to address this issue."

"Andrew," she said, sitting down. She dropped her voice to softer tone. "He's under a tremendous amount of stress. Not only is he dealing with assimilating back into civilian life after having spent a year in combat where he received life-threatening injuries, but he is also faced with the guilt of not being with me when I was nearly buried alive and miscarried our child."

Hacker's jaw dropped and he stammered when he tried to speak to her.

"Oh, my god. Temperance, I'm so sorry, I had no idea."

"We haven't announced it," she said quietly. "And I didn't tell you to gain your sympathy. I just want you to understand what he's up against. You know how much his job means to him. And you know he's a damned good agent. I would appreciate if you'd remember all the good he's done when you're evaluating his performance."

**BnBnBnBnB**

It felt like it was much later than it was when she finally opened the door to the diner. She looked back and when saw him sitting at "their" table, she breathed a sigh of relief. For the first time all day, things began to feel like they were supposed to. She walked back to the corner where he stood to greet her with a kiss.

"I don't think I'll ever get used to seeing that," Sally said from behind the counter.

She sat down in the seat opposite him and reached for his hand across the table.

"Long day?" he asked.

"Yes," she replied. "It's been one of those days that you would call emotionally exhausting, but I did find it enlightening."

"How so?"

"Cam and I sat down this morning and basically made the final decision on who we're going to hire."

"Yeah? Who'd ya pick?"

"Wendell and Daisy," she answered. "And we're going to ask Dr. Edison to stay on."

"Don't Wendell and Daisy both get their doctorates like any day now?"

"Yes," she answered. "They'll both defend their dissertations over the summer."

"So, which one's gonna be your assistant?"

"Mr. Nigel-Murray," she said, taking a sip of the tea he'd ordered for her.

"But I thought you said Cam said you could hire two plus an assistant," he said.

"She did, but we decided to ask Dr. Edison to stay on to be the FBI liaison."

"What?"

"It's the best possible solution, Booth," she said. "If Clark is the FBI liaison, then you can remain the Jeffersonian liaison. We don't have to break in a new agent… and the team stays together."

"Without you," he said.

"I'll be around," she told him. "I'll still be supervising the cases. I just won't be out in the field. I honestly don't want to be, and I doubt you were too happy about the idea of me being in the field with another agent."

"You're right about that," he said with a smile. "It might actually work… if you're really okay with it."

"I am," she assured him.

"I guess it will be up to Hacker, then. So, was making the decision to stay out of the field what was so emotionally exhausting?"

"No, I had to go and see Miss Wick," she said. "Apparently she withdrew her name from our candidate pool because she thought I wouldn't want to work with her. She was afraid that I blamed her for the baby, and her being in the lab would be too taxing for me."

"And you're sure it won't?"

"I'm sure," she answered. She brought her other hand to cover their joined ones. "I realized when I was talking to her today that I really don't blame her, but more importantly, I don't blame myself. There's nothing I could have done."

"I love you," he said. "And I'm so proud of you."

"That goes both ways," she said. "Now, where's Sally? I'm starved."


	14. Demons

**AN… I really struggled with this one, but I think I'm happy with how it turned out. Big thanks to GreysistheCatsPajamas for the read-thru and encouragement! Everyone else, let me know what you think! :-) **

Chapter 14 - Demons

Brennan sat on the sofa in Angela's office. Her friend sat back and watched. Angela didn't like the weariness she saw in Brennan's features, but she was proud of her for sticking around and dealing with the situation.

She knew that things had been tough for her friend. Since his suspension and enforced therapy sessions with Sweets, Booth seemed to be more volatile than he was before. It was like, once his demons were brought out into the open, they thrived rather than subsided.

Brennan was tired.

"How are you doing, sweetie?" Angela asked.

"I'm fine, Ange," came the standard reply.

"Brennan, talk to me. I know you're not fine."

"No, really, I am."

"Okay then, how's Booth doing?"

"I honestly don't know, Angela," Brennan said. Opening her eyes for the first time in the conversation, she looked at her friend. "His mood swings are getting worse. I think that therapy with Sweets was a bad idea."

"He needs to talk to someone, Bren."

"I agree, but not Sweets," she said with a sigh. "Sweets is part of our family, he's too close to it. He's engaged to Daisy… she's too close to it… but mostly, Booth has never really given Sweets the respect that one needs to have for their therapist. I'm afraid he's not taking it seriously."

"I still can't believe you're advocating therapy," Angela said with a wry smile.

"I'm advocating whatever is going to give my husband his life back. And I will admit that therapy has been good for me."

"It just sucks," Angela said, dejected. "I mean, when is the universe gonna cut you guys a break?"

Both women looked up at Hodgins stepped in to the doorway.

"Hey, Dr. B," he said in greeting before turning to his wife. "Babe, it's getting late."

Angela looked at Brennan and then back at Hodgins.

"It's all right, Ange," Brennan said. "Go home, I'll be fine."

"Are you sure?" Angela asked, preparing her things to go home.

"I'm sure. Go."

"Don't stay here too late," Angela said. "Promise me, Brennan."

"I won't," Brennan gave a half-hearted reply.

**BnBnBnBnBnB**

It was after midnight when Brennan returned to her apartment. She'd promised Angela she wouldn't stay late, and she knew she should've gone home earlier but she just couldn't bring herself to do it.

Today had been one of his bad days. She was doing everything she could to be a supportive and loving wife, but there were days when Booth made that very difficult. Today was one of his surly days. He was sulky and brooding. She liked it better when he was snappish and sarcastic, at least then she could fight back. She didn't know how to react when he was sullen and withdrawn. That's how he'd been each time she'd talked to him throughout the day. It had been taxing, to say the least. She'd stayed at the lab much longer than she needed to, and for that she felt guilty, but she just couldn't help it.

Tonight, she didn't have the energy to face him… and she hated it.

Silently, she made her way through the apartment and got ready for bed. She slipped in beside him and quickly fell in to an exhausted sleep.

**BnBnBnBnBnB**

Booth sat at the kitchen island, watching as Brennan poured coffee and carried two mugs over to where he was sitting. She set one of them down in front of him, and took the stool next to him.

"What are you going to do today?" she asked.

"I was thinking about sitting around watching soap operas and eating bon-bons."

She gave him the _'I'm not amused'_ look over the rim of her mug.

"What the hell do you want me to do, Bones?"

"Nothing, Booth," she said, standing up. "I don't want you to do anything."

She carried her mug to the sink, rinsed it out and then went to the living room to pick up her bags. It was the second week of Booth's suspension and he was growing increasingly tense. His mood swings were becoming more prevalent and he was constantly on edge. She took turns both ignoring him and trying to soothe him.

"I'm going to work," she said.

"Good for you," he spat, watching as she walked to the front door. "At least you have a job to go to."

"So do you," she said, spinning back around in the doorway. She set her bags down and closed the door. She walked back into the apartment and stood facing him. "Look," she said. "I know you're hurting. I hate seeing you go through this, but I can't help you if you're not going to help yourself."

She turned and talked back to the door. Picking up her bags, she turned back to him as she opened the door.

"I love you," she said, and closed the door behind her.

**BnBnBnBnB**

_December:_

_Booth lay back against the pillows, holding his wife in his arms. He couldn't remember a time when he'd ever been this happy, but something was overshadowing his happiness. He was going to have to leave her in two days, and the weight of that was palpable… it was like someone had set a cinder block on his chest. _

_He sighed, more loudly than he realized._

_Brennan knew he was thinking about going back. She thought she understood what he was feeling. They were still together, and yet she could already feel the loss of him. Part of her thought that was because he was pulling away… he was already going back there in his head. She knew that he had to prepare himself mentally, but selfishly she wanted to keep him with her as long as she could. She wanted to understand what he was going through. She wanted to be there for him in the way that a wife should. The problem was that she had no idea how._

"_What is it like?" she asked quietly. They'd talked a little about it while he was in the hospital, but she knew he'd intentionally kept the conversations as light as possible. He was always trying to shield her from pain. Even when the pain was his…especially when the pain was his._

"_What?" he asked._

"_What's it like for you," she repeated. "Over there?"_

_He lay silently for a few minutes, searching for the words to ease her mind. He couldn't tell her how it really was. Fortunes of war, and all that. Those were things that you only talked about with other guys who lived it. _

"_You know," he said finally. "It is what it is. It's tough, watching the kids I'm training… You know I can't really talk about it, but I thought I was coming over here to teach them to be cops, not snipers. Here's a lesson, Bones. Always read the fine print."_

_He pulled her closer and kissed the top of her head. _

"_I don't really want to talk about it, baby," he said quietly. "I'm laying in bed with the most beautiful woman in the world. I don't want to waste precious time talking about that hellhole. I just want to enjoy the rest of our honeymoon," he went on, slowly tracing the length of her spine with his fingers, "then get back there, finish up the next six months and come home to you and our life."_

"_Sounds like a good plan," she said. "I always knew you were very intelligent."_

**BnBnBnBnB**

"Damn it, Sweets," Booth said, pacing the younger man's office. "I thought you were supposed to be fixing this. It's not getting better, it's getting worse."

Sweets sat back and watched as Booth continued to pace.

"Two weeks ago," Booth went on. "I was doing fine. I was handling things, you know? Then one little blow-up and I can't seem to rein it in. This anger, it's like letting a genie out of the bottle. I can't sleep, I'm edgy, I'm taking it out on Bones… this is unacceptable, Sweets."

"You're right," Sweets said calmly. "It is. So what are you going to do about it?"

"Isn't that your job?" Booth asked.

He was in full-blown seething mode, to the point of nostrils flaring. Sweets had been on the receiving end of these rants before. He knew that Booth would pull it together on his own, he just needed to vent. That was his way. Up until now, Sweets had thought that the method actually worked for the agent, but he was coming to realize that it wasn't a coping mechanism, it was a mask.

"I can't fix you Agent Booth, and neither can Dr. Brennan."

"I get that, Sweets," Booth said, sitting down on the couch. "I really do. But I don't know what to do about it."

"First thing?"

"Yeah," Booth said with a nod.

"You need to find someone to talk to," Sweets said. "Did you do what we talked about?" He stood, watching as Booth looked up at him. "You didn't, did you? Booth, I know you hate this. Believe me, it's no picnic for me either," he let out a frustrated sigh. "I'm sorry. Look, I know you want to work through this, it's not just about Hacker forcing you to see me. Let's find what's gonna work for you. You recognize the problem, and you want to change it. Your friends, your family, they're all behind you. Dr. Brennan is here for you and so am I, but you have to do the work."

"All right," Booth said. "All right. I'll do it."

**BnBnBnBnBnB**

Booth looked up at the house in front of him. He'd been sitting in the driveway for almost ten minutes. He was sure they knew he was out there, so he couldn't just back the car out and drive away.

He didn't know why this visit was so hard. It's not like it was the first time. They were his friends, and had been there for him for years.

So why did it feel now like he had failed?

Slowly, he opened the door and climbed out of the car. By the time he made it to the front porch, the couple was there at the opened door to greet him.

"Hi Jenny," he said, leaning in to kiss her cheek.

"Nice wheels," her husband said.

"Yeah, I could say the same to you," Booth said with a genuine smile. Then he looked over his shoulder at the Mercedes. "One of the perks of having a wife who's rich and famous. It was actually a gift from her publisher a few years back."

"I thought maybe you were gonna stay in there all night."

"I'm going to go in and finish dinner," Jenny said. "You boys take your time. I'll bring out some drinks."

"The boss has spoken," Hank said with a smile, indicating for Booth to take a seat.

Hank Lutrell was one of the few people Booth felt comfortable really talking with. They had served together in Kosovo, where Hank had lost the use of his legs. Booth had always admired Hank because he never let anything get in his way. Some guys would have been so stuck in anger and defeat after an injury like his that they never climbed out of it. But not Hank, he just picked up and went on. He went to law school, married Jenny and had three great kids. Now, he served as a family court judge.

If anyone could understand what Booth was going through, it would be Hank. Sweets had sent him to talk to his old friend about the things that he still couldn't bring himself to talk to Sweets or even Bones about. Sweets said it was the first step in getting over whatever it was that was holding on to that anger that was so embedded within him.

So, here he was… doing what the baby duck told him to do. If talking about the war was going to fix things, then he'd do it. He'd do it for Bones.

But he'd rather be building a barbeque.


	15. Baby Girl

Chapter 15 – Baby Girl

Temperance Brennan glanced down at the dashboard clock as she pulled her Prius into the Ohio Street parking lot. She hadn't planned for the traffic to be so heavy, and had stayed at the lab longer than she would normally have when she had an appointment. She realized that she was late, and hurried toward the Lincoln Memorial.

She saw him pacing as she approached. He stopped and looked down at his watch. She could tell he was getting worried; although it was only a few minutes, she was never late.

He smiled and his shoulders sagged with relief when he spotted her.

"Hi, baby," he said as she walked up to him.

"Dad," she said, returning his embrace.

"To what do I owe the honor of this solo visit?" he asked.

"Booth is having dinner with friends," she said.

"Without you?" he asked, his expression announcing his concern.

She let out a long sigh and sat down on the steps.

"It's been a long couple of weeks," she said. "Let's walk."

She wrapped her arm around his as they began to stroll along the Reflecting Pool. She was quiet and Max could tell she was trying to gather her thoughts. He'd noticed marked changes in her over the past couple of months. She had been making a concerted effort to focus more on her emotional side, rather than relying simply on her analytical one. It made him happy to know that she was happy and in love. Smiling, he thought about their reunion when she'd returned from Indonesia.

**BnBnBnBnBnB**

_May:_

_Max Keenan sat at a corner table in the back of the Founding Fathers' restaurant. As always, he sat with his back to the wall and facing out the window. He was anxiously awaiting his daughter's arrival. It had been over a year since he'd seen her… over a year since she'd packed up her life and went running to the jungles of Indonesia to hide from her feelings for her partner. _

_Max had known since the moment he met Seeley Booth that Booth was the man for his baby girl. As he spent time getting to know her again, he realized that Tempe had spent her adult life hiding behind a wall of rationality. He knew that it was mostly his fault, he'd taught her from an early age to rely on facts, because science never lied. It was also because of him, and Ruth, that she learned that science might be the only thing that never let her down._

_He could have kicked his own ass when he realized everything that she'd been through because of what she considered her parents' abandonment. He and Ruth had done what they thought was best to keep their children alive. Ruth's murder had proved to him that they'd done the right thing, but he never expected that Russ would leave his little sister behind. _

_Now, Tempe was picking up the pieces of her life. Beautiful, strong, independent, intelligent… that was the face that his little girl gave to the world. She was all of those things, but she was also scared and vulnerable and afraid to let herself be loved._

_Enter Special Agent Seeley Booth._

_If anyone could break down Tempe's walls, it was going to be Booth. Max hated that Booth had run, as well. When Tempe told him she was going to the Maluku Islands for a year, he responded by going to Afghanistan. Not the boy's brightest move. Max had hoped he would have at least tried to stop Tempe from going. He had hoped that the younger man would have stood his ground and made his daughter face the truth. She was loved, and she was in love._

_They were both idiots._

_But now they were back, and it was time to stop pussy-footing around. He was going to make right what he should have made right years ago. He didn't know exactly what he was going to say, but his daughter responded to blunt honesty, so he figured the direct approach would be best. _

_It was then that she caught his eye. Through the big picture window in the front of the restaurant, he caught his first glimpse of his little girl. Even from his seat in the back of the restaurant, he could see there was something different about her. She seemed lighter somehow, like the burden she'd been carrying on her shoulders had been lifted. She was smiling, laughing really… and she wasn't alone._

_Walking along side her was none other than Seeley Booth… and they were holding hands._

_Oh, this was gonna be good._

**BnBnBnBnBnB**

They had been walking along the mall for a few minutes when Brennan finally began to speak.

"You know that Booth and I have been dealing with a lot since we got back," she said. "We have all the normal adjustments to married life and living together, on top of the stresses of returning to our normal lives after a year away…"

"Yeah," Max said. "That would take its toll on anyone."

"And Booth is so overprotective when it comes to me, that if you factor in my accident and miscarriage," she said, looking down at her hands.

"And your husband is reaching his boiling point," Max surmised. Booth had a temper, and with all this pressure, they had to be experiencing some tension at home.

"More like his breaking point, I'm afraid," she said. "It's more than just the changes to our relationship," she went on. "I fear that he may be suffering from some form of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. My research indicates that it is common among soldiers returning from active combat duty, markedly so in those who have suffered a serious or life-threatening injury."

"But this wasn't Booth's first rodeo," Max said. "He's an experienced soldier, a Ranger who's been in combat before."

"He has," she agreed. "But I think there is more to it than just that. You know Booth has always had a relatively volatile personality…"

"He does have a short fuse," Max said, smiling as he rubbed his chin in memory of its connection with his son-in-law's fist.

"He hasn't had an easy life, Dad," she said. "Frankly, he's been through more than any one person should have to, and yet he never complains. He never puts himself first… and while that's an admirable quality, I've begun to realize that it has been detrimental to his own well-being."

Max listened with the slightest awe… she was definitely growing into her own, emotionally.

**BnBnBnBnBnB**

_May:_

_Max stood to greet his daughter as she and Booth walked into the restaurant. _

"_Hi Dad," she said, stepping into his embrace. "It's good to see you."_

"_You look beautiful, honey," he said. "Looks like the jungle was good to you."_

_He looked pointedly to the man standing with his hand possessively resting on his daughter's back._

"_Booth," he said._

"_Max," Booth replied._

_Brennan watched the exchange between the two alpha males in her life with slight bemusement. She shook her head and moved to lead the way back to the table, making a point to take Booth's hand._

_Never one to beat around the bush, as soon as they sat down, she spoke._

"_Dad," she said, "Booth and I got married."_

_Whoa. Talk about skipping the main course and going straight to dessert. _

_Max looked at Booth, who seemed slightly nervous. He decided to let the younger man off the hook._

"_Congratulations honey," he said, facing his daughter, but keeping his eyes on Booth._

"_I can't wait to hear how this happened."_

_They ordered drinks as the couple began telling Max their story. They told it very much the same way they had to Angela and Hodgins, bouncing from one to the other and finishing each other's sentences. _

_Max didn't try to hide his amusement as he watched them and listened to their tale. Who knew all it was going to take was an explosion on the other side of the world for the two of them to finally get their heads out of their asses and finally move on to being the couple they were always meant to be?_

"_I'm sorry I didn't tell you before," Brennan said. "I wanted to tell you in person… we didn't tell anyone until we got home. I had hoped to see you sooner," she said hesitantly. "I hope you're not upset that you weren't the first to know."_

"_Of course not," Max said. "I'm just thrilled you both finally woke up. I'm really happy for you. Now, when are you going to start giving me beautiful grandbabies?"_

_Max didn't miss the dark look that passed over as the couple exchanged a glance. Booth took his wife's hand and nodded slightly as she looked over to her father._

"_Actually," she said. "We…" _

_She looked at Booth, unable to continue. He squeezed her hand in support and then began to speak to her father._

"_Max," he said. "There was an accident on the island. Bones was trapped under fallen debris after a cave-in…" He let out a long sigh, involuntarily moving closer to his wife before continuing. "She was 12 weeks pregnant at the time."_

"_I lost the baby," she said quietly._

"_Oh god, baby," Max said, standing to walk over and hug his daughter. "I'm so sorry. Are you okay?"_

_She nodded._

"_Yes," she said. "It was almost three months ago, my body has fully healed."_

_He looked over her head to Booth, who nodded back to him._

"_We're working through it," Booth said._

**BnBnBnBnBnB**

"I don't know how to help him, Dad," she said sadly.

"I think you're doing everything you can, baby," he told her. "What's this dinner with friends? Where is he tonight?"

"He's gone to see one of his old Army buddies," she said. "One of the men he served with the last time, in Kosovo. We felt that he needed to talk with someone who understands what he went through in Afghanistan," she went on. "It's not something he feels comfortable sharing with me, but it is something that he has to be able to talk about."

"He's a good man, Tempe," he said. "He'll get through this. You both will."

"I know," she replied. "But it's still extremely difficult. Last night, I actually avoided him."

"How so?"

"I stayed at the lab until after midnight," she told him. "When I got home, Booth was already sleeping. I found that I just didn't have the energy to face him. I'm a terrible wife."

"No, baby," her father soothed her. "You're not. You are Booth's partner, in everything. You are the perfect wife for him…you understand him like no one else does. That doesn't mean that you're going to automatically know everything or what to do about it. It just means that you want what's best for him and you'll do everything in your power to make that happen. But you also have to take care of yourself," he said. "Which is what you were doing last night."

When she just looked at him, confused and expectant, Max went on.

"Baby, you know I love Booth like a son… always have. But he's a hothead on a good day, and you're no shrinking violet yourself. If you confront him when you're both in that frame of mind, serious damage can be done. Honey, sometimes avoiding the fight is the best thing you can do. What happened the next time you saw him?"

"We snapped at each other," she said. "But before I left for the lab, I told him that I love him."

"And that's the best thing you can do," Max said, bringing her to his side and kissing her temple. "You're doing great, baby girl. Now, it's time to get you fed," he said. "And since I'm fairly certain I'm not going to get you to eat a hot dog from one of these vendors, why don't we head back to the cars?"

"I am a little hungry," she admitted.

"How about we head up to 2 Amys? I'm in the mood for fancy pizza," he said, suggesting what he knew was one of her favorite restaurants.

"That sounds great," she said. "Then I'll take you and show you our new house."

"New house?" Max asked.

"Yes," she said, smiling innocently. "Didn't I mention that Booth and I were buying a house?"

"No," he said, "I think I would have remembered that little detail."

"It's not little," she said. "In fact, it is rather large."

"So, where is this large new house?"

"Forest Hills," she said. "Right along Rock Creek Park. It's about five minutes away from 2 Amys. I need to go over and take some measurements so I can make arrangements with the painters," she said. "We don't technically close for two weeks, but the current owners are out of the country and have agreed to our taking early possession."

In her excitement about the house, she realized that she'd sped up and was walking a bit ahead of her father. She looked back at him over her shoulder.

"Are you coming?" she said with a smile.

"Right behind you, baby girl," he said. "Right behind you."


	16. Superman

**AN – Inspiration for this chapter came from a recent Hart Hanson interview (no spoilers) and an eloquent review from MiseryMaker, her words found their way into Booth's thoughts. :-) **

**Thanks again so much for all your kind support! Reading your reviews always makes my day!**

Chapter 16 - Superman

The sun was beginning to set and it cast a warm orange glow over the Lutrells' front porch. The two men sitting there talking had been in this same position before, but for both of them it seemed different somehow this time.

"So, what's going on, Seel?" Hank asked. "Not that I'm not thrilled to see your ugly mug, but you're obviously a mess. What's up?"

Booth let out a long sigh of resignation before answering his friend's question.

"I got suspended," he said. "Anger management."

Hank sat back and waited, saying nothing. He'd been waiting for this to happen for years. He loved Booth like a brother, but always knew he had a short fuse. Booth was quick-tempered even before things went to hell in Kosovo, but in the years since they'd been home, Hank had noticed a slow-simmering rage building in his friend. He had been waiting for it to erupt in the past few years.

The first sign of a fissure in the tight seal of Booth's control had been a few years ago. Booth had come to him during a case that involved a National Guard unit covering up a friendly fire death overseas. Booth was angry and disillusioned. It was hard for someone as patriotic as he was to begin to fathom how a military unit could do something so self-serving and dishonest.

Then there was his last suspension for anger management issues, the time that he'd shot the plastic clown head on the front of an ice cream truck.

Seeley Booth had always been a ticking time bomb, he'd just never realized it. Hank was glad to see that his friend seemed to finally be not only aware of the situation, but ready to actively do something about it.

"It was bad," Booth admitted. "I kinda went off on my boss and accused him of wanting to have sex with my wife."

"Ouch," Hank said, hiding his smile behind a wince.

"I mean, to be fair, he does have the hots for her and she did kinda date him for a while… but I was out of line. He had just told me that I couldn't work with her anymore… and I don't know, Hank," he said, blowing out a long breath. "I don't know what happened, but I just lost it. It's not like I didn't know it was gonna happen. Bones and I had already talked about it. They're not gonna send me out in the field with my _wife_, I get that. But there was just something about that moment. I'll admit I don't really like the guy, he's kind of a doofus and he admits to skating by on the accomplishments of the agents under him. I won't even talk about how I felt when Bones started dating him…."

Hank just nodded as Booth seemed to be pulling together his thoughts before continuing.

"When I walked into his office, he had this shit-eating grin on his face and I wanted to punch him, but I decided to give him the benefit of the doubt. Then, when he told me he was reassigning me, I saw this look in his eye. The son-of-a-bitch was _enjoying_ it! He was taking away my partner, my center… Hank, she's the thing that keeps my world spinning on its axis, and he was getting a chuckle from taking that all away."

Booth paused, shaking his head.

"God, I sound like a girl. But seriously, I snapped. I couldn't take it another second. It was either slug him or tell him off, reminding him that I'd won and he was never gonna have another chance at her. I'm not gonna lie, it felt really good, but it wasn't my finest hour."

"So, he suspended you?" Hank asked, prompting.

"Six weeks," Booth said, nodding. "Twice a week counseling with a teenaged counselor, followed by a Code of Conduct review and a psych review."

"And how's that coming?"

"It's not working," Booth admitted. "Sweets is a good kid. He's a great profiler, but I've got battle scars that are older than he is. There's no way he can fully get the shit that is going on in my head."

"Like what?"

"I think it's kind of obvious that I hit some kind of wall, right?" Booth said. "I mean, for as long as I can remember, I've been taking care of everything and everyone, and keeping my problems to myself. So, now, I've finally got everything I ever wanted and the shit hits the fan. You know what they say about karma, right?"

Hank smiled.

"It's a bitch."

"You got that right," Booth said, returning a rueful smile. "And I've been taking it out on my wife. She has been amazing, Hank. She's been through so much herself, and I know taking my crap is grating on her, but she's hanging in there. I'm a lucky bastard," he said, standing up and pacing the length of the porch. "So, I know I've got a lot of shit to deal with… stuff that goes all the way back to my old man. But I think I've figured out that I've gotta start with the last thing and work my way back."

"Your deployment?"

"Yeah," Booth said, nodding. "It was bullshit, Hank. I'm not that guy anymore. I'm not a soldier, I'm a cop. I've spent the last ten years of my life trying to make up for what I did in the ten years before that. Anyway, that's what they told me they wanted. I was supposed to be going over there to teach Rangers to be cops. Tracking and detaining insurgents. They never said anything about killing. But you know how it is. You sign the papers and you're a grunt, doesn't matter your rank…you've got no rights. You do what you're told. They lied to me, Hank. Sent me out on recon and sniper missions with green recruits." Booth paused, his anger melting into a profound sadness. "Some of them were just kids, Hank. And I nearly got killed trying to protect them after I promised Bones I wouldn't try to be a hero."

"But there was good that came of that, right? That's when Temperance came to find you and you married her," Hank reminded his friend, hoping to help him balance the bad with some good.

"Yeah, but it scared the hell out of her," he said.

There was another long pause as Booth turned, leaned against the railing and quietly watched the sunset. Jenny came out with a couple of beers and let them know that dinner would be ready soon. After she'd gone, Hank drew Booth's attention back to their conversation.

"Seel," he said. "You have to come to terms with the fact that the world is a gritty place. The Army's not perfect, the FBI's not perfect, the government is not perfect. You are like, the epitome of _truth, justice and the American way_… but you're not Superman. You can't fix everything. When I got back from Kosovo," he said. "I spent all those months at Walter Reid sulking, cursing the gods and whomever else I could think of… and thinking of you guys still back there. I felt guilty that I was here and you guys were still back there fighting. It took a while for me to get pissed that I lost my legs, at first I just felt like I hadn't done enough.

I know you think that I never complained and that I got through this and moved on with my life like Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm, but it wasn't like that, man. It was hell. Pure, unadulterated hell. I went through all the stereotypical garbage just like everyone does. I finally realized that I had to do something after I tried to commit suicide," Hank said, pausing as Booth accepted the gravity of what he was saying."

"Oh my god," Booth said, quietly. "I had no idea."

"Of course you didn't, it's not exactly the kind of thing you advertise. I hit rock bottom, man. I had to face the fact that the country that I loved, the government that I respected, had let me down. It sucked, man," Hank smiled, putting it plainly. "But I got off my ass, well… not literally," he added with a smile and a wink. "I got myself together the best I could and got my ass in to law school. I met Jenny and my life became mine again. You, you've gotta take _your_ life back, Seel. It's time."

"You're right," Booth said. "But how the hell do I do it?"

"You're on the right track," Hank told him. "You've got to stop bottling everything up. In order to move past all the dark shit, you've got to get it out into the light. Talk about it. Talk to Temperance about the things that you can, and the things you can't? You find someone else. I'm always here for you," he said. "But I've got someone else I want you to talk to."

Hank reached across the divide between them and handed Booth a business card.

"Dr. Donovan Benson?" Booth asked, reading the card. "Man, I've already got a shrink."

"Yeah," Hank said with a snort, "one you call the _baby duck_. I'm not saying to stop seeing Sweets. He can help, and he's the one that's going to get you back into active duty. Benson can help with the other stuff. He's been there. He served in 'Nam, and he's an expert specializing in PTSD among vets. He's private, not attached to the VA. He's really the best there is."

"I don't have PTSD," Booth said.

"Yeah, buddy," Hank replied. "You do. Call him, Seeley. I'm telling you, he can help."

"He helped you?" Booth asked.

"He's the reason I'm still sitting here today," Hank answered. "Seriously, Seel. I've been there. I know what you're going through, and Benson is your guy. Talk to him, see him in between your sessions with Sweets. He might even want to work with Sweets."

**BnBnBnBnBnB**

Over dinner, Booth caught the Lutrells up on the things that had been going on in his life. He told the story of his wedding to Bones and what they'd been doing since they'd gotten back. He told them about the new house and promised they'd be invited to an end-of-summer barbeque once they were moved in and settled.

The evening was winding down, and Booth checked the time on his phone. Bones would probably be finished with her dinner with Max by now and if she wasn't already home, she would be soon.

He was looking forward to seeing her; he'd missed her the past several days. He knew he had some making up to do, he'd been a real bear and she'd been a saint to put up with his bullshit. She wasn't totally angelic, though, she'd call him out more than once… but that was the woman he loved.

He just hoped she was still speaking to him.

Hank watched as his friend glanced down at his phone and then got a faraway look in his eyes. He knew that their visit was over, and hoped that he'd done Booth some good. He knew he'd done all he really could…it was up to Booth to do the work. He made a mental note to call Benson later in the week just to make sure Booth called.

"It's getting late," Hank said. "And I know you're anxious to get home to your bride."

Booth hoped wasn't blushing as he grinned.

"That obvious, huh?"

"Only to one who's been there," Hank replied, his glance moving fondly to his own wife. "Now, go home and make up with your beautiful wife."

"That might be the best advice you've ever given me," Booth replied, standing. "Thanks for dinner, Jenny," he said. "It was great. But Hank's right, I really do need to get going."

He said his goodbyes and made his way back out to the car. Hank was right, he had a lot of making up to do.

Driving home, he thought about the woman he loved and the strides she'd made… not only in the past few months or the past year, but ever since he'd known her.

He thought about that night out in front of the Hoover when he first asked her to give them a chance. She'd told him she couldn't change. He laughed out loud when he thought of that. She had changed, so much. The Temperance Brennan that he'd first met in that lecture hall all those years ago would not have stood by him through this funk. She wouldn't have put up with his mood swings, with his crankiness and self-pity. She would have kicked him to the curb or took off running a long time ago.

She had most definitely changed, and now it was up to him to do the same.


	17. Cupcakes

**AN- No, I haven't abandoned this story. This update is a little shorter than usual, but I just wanted you to spend a little time with BnB and get reacquainted with the story.**

**I'm SO sorry it's been so long… but life kind of got away from me. Then there was the premiere, and then catching up with reading all the great updates on the stories I've been reading… **

**The truth is that this story kind of got away from me… it went in a direction that I hadn't planned, and therefore became longer than I originally anticipated. That, along with real life… means that daily updates just can't happen. I will do much better to update regularly, though. Hopefully every other day- at least a few times per week.**

**Thanks for hanging in there with me. Hope this brings you back into the story…. and, as always… your reviews are greatly appreciated!**

Chapter 17 - Cupcakes

Unlocking the door, Booth moved quietly into the apartment. He could sense quickly that he was alone; he always seemed to know when his wife was nearby. He took advantage of the solitude and moved quickly to set the scene.

He set the flowers and the pastry box down on the kitchen island while he looked for a vase. He found a crystal vase and then unwrapped the bouquet of daffodils, placing them in the vase. He set the vase on the dining table and put a pot of her favorite Brazilian coffee on to brew.

Walking in to the living room, he adjusted the blinds to let in the light from the setting sun and turned on the stereo. He began to flip through the CDs not knowing exactly what he was looking for. He didn't know what he wanted, but he knew he'd know it when he saw it and it wasn't going to be any of her world music, drums and pan flutes or didgeridoos or whatever… definitely not the mood he was hoping to set. He came across Norah Jones' "Come Away with Me," and popped it in the disc player. He turned the volume down and let the smooth sounds wash over the apartment.

He turned around and surveyed the scene. He hoped that when his wife returned, she wouldn't be angry with him and she'd be willing to sit down and talk. He wouldn't blame her if she wasn't and he knew a visit with Max could send her in either direction.

Looking around once more and deciding there was nothing more for him to do at the moment, he went to take a shower.

**BnBnBnBnBnB**

The apartment was quiet save for the sound of bluesy jazz playing softly from the stereo. Brennan smiled at the mood her husband was obviously trying to set. Soft lighting, sexy music, flowers… apparently his visit with Hank had gone well.

"Booth?" she called out.

"Hey, baby," he answered, walking toward her from the bedroom.

"Hey," she replied softly.

She smiled and unconsciously licked her lips as she took in his appearance. He'd obviously just come from the shower as his hair was still damp from being towel dried. He looked cozy in his white t-shirt and plaid sleep pants. She just wanted to curl up in his arms.

She set her bag down on the table by the door and walked toward him. As she neared, he opened his arms and she stepped into his embrace. They both closed their eyes, each reveling in the other's embrace.

He was warm and smelled fresh from the shower, and she made a quiet sound of appreciation as she nuzzled the side of his neck.

It felt like it had been forever since he'd held her in his arms, and he smiled as he kissed her head. She smelled of cherry blossoms and summer, and he thought he would never get enough.

As much as they were enjoying this long overdue embrace, they both knew that they had to talk before anything else could happen.

He stepped back first, leaning in to place a gentle kiss on her lips. Threading his fingers in hers, he led the way to the kitchen.

"Come on," he said.

"Mmmm," she murmured as they entered the kitchen. "Coffee smells great. Is it the Brazilian blend?"

"Yep," he answered with a grin. "Have a seat and I'll pour you some."

She sat down at the island and immediately caught sight of the familiar pink and brown pastry box.

"You went to Sticky Fingers?" she asked, smiling as her eyes lit up with childlike delight.

"Almond fudge cupcakes," he said, over his shoulder.

He walked over and set down two mugs of steaming coffee before turning back for plates, napkins, and forks. He plated two of the cupcakes and set one in front of each of their places before sitting down next to her.

"I'm sorry," he said, smiling as she dug in to her cake with relish. "I've been a real ass lately, and I know that flowers and vegan cupcakes don't make up for it…"

"They're a good start," she said with her mouthful, causing him to laugh out loud.

It felt good to laugh. It felt good to sit here with his beautiful wife, laughing and eating cupcakes that he would rather not know what they were made of. He couldn't remember the last time he'd felt this good.

"I love you," he said, simply.

"I know," she answered. "I love you, too."

"Did you have a good visit with Max?" he asked, tentatively.

"Yes," she answered. "The two of you must have been on the same wavelength…" She paused and looked at him quizzically. "Did I say that right?" she asked. "You both sacrificed your culinary tastes to allow me to indulge in mine."

"Yep," he answered. "You said it perfectly, baby. Where did he take you?"

"We went to 2 Amys," she said. "Then I showed him the house. We took the measurements for the contractor. How about you?" she asked, tentatively. "How did it go with Hank?" She tried to sound casual, sipping her coffee as she asked.

There was a palpable change to the energy in the room. She held her breath as he stood up. She watched silently as he turned and walked from the room. She sat for a moment, worried about what had just happened and wondering if she should follow.

She breathed a sigh of relief when she looked up to see him returning to the room. He still hadn't said anything when he handed her a business card.

"Dr. Donovan Benson?" she asked.

"He's a vet," Booth said. "Served in Vietnam and specializes in veterans with PTSD. Hank thinks it would be a good idea for me to talk to him. Thinks he can help me with things that Sweets can't."

"Do you think you have PTSD?" she asked cautiously.

"Honestly?" he asked.

"Of course."

"No," he answered. "I don't. But Hank does…" He paused, and looked at her expectantly. "And something tells me he's not the only one."

She reached over and took his hand.

"You'd be right," she said. "I've done some research and I do believe that it is a possibility. I think that it is something that you should consider."

He just looked at her and let her speak. She knew that the idea made him feel weak, like he was somehow less if he admitted to being affected by the disorder.

"It's nothing to be ashamed of, Booth," she said. Rubbing his hand in between both of hers, she made sure she was looking in his eyes as she spoke. "And I don't think it's something that just happened in Afghanistan.

As much as I've never put much stock in psychology, I'm learning that I may have been wrong. There is a science to it, and it does make sense.

Booth, you've had issues dealing with anger since I met you… and probably before that."

"So you think I'm a Looney Toon, too, huh?" he said sadly, gently pulling his hand from hers.

"I don't know what that means," she said. "But I don't think it's unreasonable to believe that we've both been affected by the disorder to some extent." She forced him to look at her before she went on. "Sweetheart," she said, knowing that it would get his attention. "We have both seen more than our share of the ugly side of the world… starting in childhood and right up until today. We each chose a different way to cope with it, but we were still both very affected by it. We still are. Dr. Delaney is helping me to see that," she said. "Maybe Dr. Benson can do that for you."

"I'll call him tomorrow," he said. "I'm sure Hank is gonna check with him to see that I do."

"Thank you," she said, hoping to bring him out of his melancholy and back into their romantic evening. "Thank you for doing all this for me," she told him. "The flowers, the candles, the music, the cupcakes…"

She leaned over and kissed him. At first, it was gentle but it quickly became searching and hungry. He matched her tongue stroke for stroke as they devoured each other's mouths . She tasted like coffee , and chocolate… and Bones.

It was as if all the pain and anger and frustration that they'd been feeling melted into that one kiss. Nothing mattered but the two of them and the love they shared. Nothing mattered but the passionate frenzy that was building between them.

As much as he'd planned for this evening to be an apology for his attitude and a long, slow seduction, he realized that they were approaching the point of no return way too fast.

"Baby," he said, leaning his forehead against hers as he tried to catch his breath. "We've gotta slow down."

"Booth," she replied, panting. "There is a time for soft and slow…" She brushed her lips against his. "But this isn't it."

Booth had taught her the difference between making love and crappy sex. Between them, it was always making love…. Slow, soft and gentle or hard, fast and hot… it was always about the love they shared. And tonight, she had no intention of taking it slow.

"I need you," were the last words she said as she took his hand and led him to their bedroom.

**BnBnBnBnBnB**

"Wow," Booth said raising his eyebrows in a self-satisfied grin.

"You can say that again," Brennan replied, with a throaty chuckle.

"Baby, that was amazing," he said, moving several strands of her hair out of her face as he leaned in to kiss her.

"It that's what they call make-up sex," she said, "perhaps we should fight more often."

"I don't know about all that," he said. "I think we can do hot without fighting. I don't like fighting with you, Bones."

He slowly and gently ran his finger over her collar bone. _Clavicle_, he thought with a smile.

"I don't like fighting with you either," she said. "Not really. I mean sometimes our heated bickering is amazing foreplay… but I don't enjoy actually fighting with you."

"Thanks for putting up with all my crap, Bones," he said. "I don't deserve you."

"And I don't deserve you," she replied, "but here we are."

"Here we are," he repeated, leaning over to cover her lips with his. "And there's nowhere else I'd rather be."

"Neither would I," she said, cupping his shoulder as he loomed over her. "You do know that, right?"

"Yeah baby," he said. "I do. But it's really good to hear sometimes, too."

"I love you, Booth," she said, tears welling in her ocean blue eyes. "I can't imagine my life without you in it. Thank you for fighting for me… you had to fight _me_ for me," she said. "And I'll fight whatever it takes for you, too…"

"We're gonna be all right, Bones."

"I never had a doubt, Booth."


	18. Down the Shore

**AN- Again… I'm so sorry that this update took so long! I had hoped to get it out over the weekend and my Dad went into the hospital on Saturday. He's home now, and all is well… so let's get back to the story! : -) **

**Thanks for your patience and to all who are reading and reviewing. Your reviews are so inspirational and really keep me going!**

Chapter 18 – Down the Shore

Lance Sweets sat quietly behind his desk. He looked across the room at the man seated on his sofa. Seeley Booth looked tired… drawn… His head was leaned back against the back of the sofa, and he'd covered his eyes with his hand. He hadn't said anything for nearly five minutes. This was beginning to feel like one of his partners' therapy sessions with Dr. Brennan.

Sweets would never in a million years call Booth weak, but this was definitely a side of the agent that he'd never seen before.

The young doctor let out a sigh, and began to speak.

"What's been happening since we last talked, Agent Booth?" he asked. "Anything new?"

"Yeah Sweets," Booth answered reluctantly. "But you already know that, don't you?" He sat up in his seat and opened his eyes to face the psychologist. "I went to see my buddy Hank Lutrell like we talked about. It was good to talk to somebody who's been there," he confessed. "No offense, Sweets, but it's hard for me to take you seriously sometimes. I know you're smart and you're good at what you do… but I just don't believe you can really understand all the crap that goes on in my head…"

"I can appreciate that," Sweets said. "While academic knowledge is good, there's something to be said for experience."

"Exactly."

"So, how did it go? Your meeting with Hank, I mean."

"Dinner," Booth replied. "I had dinner with an old friend and his family. It wasn't a meeting. But it went pretty well. He helped me sort out a few things and gave me some direction…"

"And Dr. Brennan," Sweet said. "How are things at home?"

"Better," Booth admitted. "I apologized and she accepted. I don't want to take my frustrations out on her."

"That's good," Sweet said, nodding. "So, have you found another outlet?"

"Hank suggested another therapist," Booth said warily, trying to gauge the younger man's reaction. "But you probably already know that."

"How would I know that?"

"Because I went to see him. Don't you shrinky-types get together in some dark little room and gossip about your patients?" Booth asked with a cocky little half-smile.

It was the first time that Sweets felt like he was seeing 'the old Booth,' in a long time.

"We do confer," Sweets answered, ignoring the agent's sarcasm. "But only with our patients' permission. Dr. Benson did contact me," he went on. "Are you willing for the two of us to work together on your therapy?"

"Yeah," Booth said, nodding. "Whatever it takes. I think he can probably help with the big stuff, with the Army stuff… and I need you to get me back to active duty. It wouldn't hurt for you two to compare notes."

Sweets sighed.

"Agent Booth," he said. "I need for you to take this therapy seriously. It has to be about more than just my signing off to get you back to active duty. Perhaps we should introduce Dr. Brennan into our sessions…"

Booth's head snapped up.

"Why?" he asked.

"Because there are things that you need to work out with her," Sweets answered deliberately. "And it's been a long time since the two of you have been here for partners' therapy."

"Because we're not partners anymore, genius."

"Let's talk about that."

"What's there to talk about, Sweets? When I get back, Bones stays in the lab and I work with Edison."

"And how do you feel about that?"

"How do you think I feel?"

"I don't know, Agent Booth," Sweets replied. "That's why I asked."

"I think it sucks."

"And what does Dr. Brennan think about the current situation?"

"I don't think she likes it any better than I do," Booth answered. "But then again, it was her idea."

"I'd really like to talk to both of you together," Sweets suggested again.

"What good would that do, Sweets?"

Booth sounded defeated and Sweets closed his eyes… this was going to be as hard as he imagined.

"I think we were getting somewhere before the two of you took off last year," he offered.

"Maybe we were," Booth said. "And maybe we weren't. But everything is different now. We are different… and we can't work together, so why do we need partners' therapy?"

"I'd just like to get a feel for how you're coping with the change in status at work."

"How I'm coping?"

"It is a major change," Sweets said. "And coupled with everything else that you're dealing with, it can be a massive blow."

"I'm coping, Sweets," Booth said with a sigh as he took his previous position against the back of the sofa.

"So you're okay with working with Dr. Edison?"

"I don't have a choice. But yeah, I'm okay with it. Clark is all right."

"But you'd rather be with Dr. Brennan."

"Duh."

Sweets responded to the childish comment with a pointed look.

"Of course I'd rather be with Bones," Booth answered, contrite. "But if I've gotta choose between my partner and my wife, my wife is gonna win every time."

**BnBnBnBnBnB**

Brennan moved the lettuce around on her plate. She wasn't paying attention to her lunch or her lunch companion. Her focus seemed to be somewhere outside the window that she sat next to.

"Earth to Bren," Angela said. "Hello. Anybody in there?"

"What?" Brennan replied, turning back to her friend.

"I was just asking how the plans for the move are coming. Where were you?"

"We're almost ready to move in," she answered. "The painters have finished and the new furniture will be arriving this week. Once it's in, then we'll move the things from the apartment."

"What's going on? You've been distracted all morning."

"Booth had a session with Sweets this morning," Brennan said.

"And that has you worried?" Angela asked. "Booth can hold his own with Sweets."

"I know he can, Ange," she answered, and Angela noticed for the first time how tired her friend looked. "I'm just worried about him."

"You two need to get away," Angela said.

"We just got back," Brennan replied, sighing. "Actually, we've never even gotten a chance to get completely back."

"You've been back in town for months," Angela corrected. "And under major stress that whole time. You need some time alone together, no work, no new house, no shrinks, no stress…"

"That does sound amazing," Brennan admitted.

"Then do it," Angela said. "This weekend. Take that hunky hubby of yours and get the hell out of Dodge."

"I don't know what that means," Brennan said.

"Of course you don't, sweetie," Angela replied, smiling. "Hodgins has a cottage on the beach in Martha's Vineyard. You guys are using it this weekend. I'll make all the arrangements."

**BnBnBnBnBnB**

"Let's talk about that," Sweets said.

"I'm not talking to you about my wife," Booth replied.

"Why not?"

"Because you're twelve," Booth answered automatically.

"I thought we were past that one by now, Agent Booth."

"We are," Booth answered with a smile. "But I couldn't resist. What do you want to talk about?"

"We started to get to it a few minutes ago," Sweets said. "But how are things at home?"

"Things are good, Sweets," Booth answered. "Really good. I'm livin' the dream. Literally."

"So married life is everything you dreamed of," Sweets stated.

"Well," Booth said, "with Bones, nothing is ever predictable…"

"And I'm sure she could say the same of you," Sweets said.

"Probably," Booth said, chuckling. "Especially lately," he added, his voice somber. "This isn't what she signed up for."

"Go on," Sweet encouraged.

"I take care of _her_," Booth said. "That's my job. Lately, it's like I'm always on the verge of falling apart. She has been the one holding _me_ together."

"And how does that make you feel?"

"How do you think it makes me feel, Sweets?"

Sweets winced slightly as Booth raised his voice.

"I think it probably bothers you more than it does her," Sweets offered. "Your wife is a very independent woman. I think she is probably glad to be able to be there for you now."

"You think she's happy that I'm weak?"

"That's not what I'm saying."

"Then what are you saying?"

"You are both strong personalities and you're both used to not only taking care of yourselves, but taking care of everything around you. It says something that Dr. Brennan lets you take care of her, but I think it's equally important to her to be able to care for you in return."

"I still don't like it."

"I've got an assignment for you."

**BnBnBnBnBnB**

"Bones!" Booth called out as he walked into the apartment. "Babe, are you here?"

"In the kitchen, Booth!"

Smiling, he walked in to the kitchen where he found her standing at the stove.

"I thought we were going out tonight," he said, wrapping his arms around her waist and looking over her shoulder into the pot she was stirring.

"I had lunch with Angela at the diner," she said. "I thought it might be nice to just stay in tonight."

"I'm always happy to have you to myself," he said, softly kissing her neck.

"Keep that up and you're not going to have any dinner," she said.

"I can live with that," he replied, applying slightly more pressure.

"You say that now," she said, laughing. "But I know you. Booth men are ruled by their stomachs, not their libidos."

"You're kidding, right?" he said, incredulous.

"No. I am not," she replied with a twinkle in her eye.

"I like my food as much as the next guy," he said. "But if I have to choose between a steak and making love with my beautiful wife, my beautiful wife wins… every time."

"That's good to know," she said, still smiling. "But I think you're going to need all the energy you can get in a little while, so I think we should stick to food first, sex later."

"You drive a hard bargain, Mrs. Booth."

"That's Dr. Brennan to you, mister."

"But Bones," he whined, "we're at home."

"I distinctly remember you saying I could be Mrs. Booth in the bedroom…"

"Exactly."

"But we're not in the bedroom," she said, matter of fact.

"We're not in the lab, either," he replied, nuzzling the sensitive spot on her throat between her neck and shoulder.

"So, I suppose we'll have to find a compromise," she said, closing her eyes as she leaned back into his chest, the meal momentarily forgotten as she enjoyed his ministrations.

"Bones."

She shivered as he whispered her nickname into her ear. She'd long ago forgotten any irritation the moniker might have inspired, it had become an endearment to both of them quite some time ago.

"Bones," he whispered again.

She let out a quiet contented sigh as he wrapped his arms around her more tightly.

"What are you making?" he asked, smiling.

"Oh!" she was startled from her reverie by his question and turned her attention back to the stove. "Black bean chili," she answered. "It's not vegetarian night," she said, "but I think you'll like it."

"Smells good," he said, opening his mouth as she brought the spoon to his mouth for a taste. "Mmm, tastes good, too."

"Thanks," she replied. "If you'll get the bread and the wine from over there," she said, pointing to the island, "I think we're ready to eat."

They enjoyed each other's company and leisurely conversation as they shared the meal. They talked about nothing and everything. She told him about the limbo case she was working on and he told her about his day, deliberately avoiding details about his session with Sweets.

"We don't have Parker this weekend," Brennan said.

"No," Booth confirmed. "Becca's taking him to visit her parents."

"I thought it might be nice for us to get away, as well," she said.

"What did you have in mind?"

"The beach?" she asked tentatively. "Hodgins is letting us use his cottage on Martha's Vineyard."

"Martha's Vineyard?" he replied. "What ever happened to just heading down the Jersey Shore?" Before she could reply, he shook his head. "Martha's Vineyard," he mumbled to himself. "First a mansion, now weekending at _the Vineyard_… why don't we just go to the Hamptons?"

"If that's what you want, I'm certain we could," she offered.

"No, baby," he said. "I was just kidding… grousing, actually. Hodgins' place on Martha's Vineyard sounds great. I love the idea of getting away with you," he said.

"You mean _having your way_ with me," she said with a smile.

"That, too," he agreed. "But a weekend at the beach would be great. When do we leave?"

"Friday morning," she answered, standing up to begin clearing the table. "I'm taking the day off."

"Doctor Temperance Brennan is willingly taking the day off?" he asked, lovingly mocking her. "What is this? _Invasion of the Body Snatchers_? Who are you and what have you done with my wife?"

"Very funny, Booth," she said, sticking her tongue out. "I thought you might enjoy an extra day at the beach, but if you'd rather I work and we go on Saturday, I can do that."

"No!" he said, reaching for her hand and pulling her down into his lap. "Friday is perfect, and so are you."


	19. Control

**AN- To everyone who pointed out how often Booth said "my wife" in the last chapter… thank you! I did that on purpose. I hope it wasn't overkill, but I see Booth doing that, kind of reminding both himself and the world that she is his wife. He tends to need to convince himself of things a lot. I see him doing it right now in the show when he keeps telling anyone who'll listen (including himself, but never Hannah) how much he loves Hannah. Methinks the agent doth protest too much- but that's another story. **

**It was a little tough to get into "my" Booth's head after spending the evening in S6 Booth's head last night. :- ) (Thanks so much to everyone who read and reviewed my Booth-y one-shot!) but I hope I managed it all right. This one's getting a little long in the tooth and I'm trying to get back to more regular updates because I don't see it ending anytime soon—of course that depends on you all and what you want to see.**

**You know what to do… review! **

Chapter 19 – Control

Booth tapped his thumb on the steering wheel, drumming along with the beat as the classic sounds of Zeppelin filled the car. He missed his SUV, but he did love the state of the art sound system in Brennan's Mercedes.

He never could figure out why she'd insisted on leasing the Prius when she already had this baby sitting in the driveway but for the moment, he was glad she had because it gave him the freedom of having his own wheels.

He didn't like riding in cabs, they made him feel vulnerable… like he wasn't in control. He needed to be the one in charge of his own destination. That was one of the reasons why he never let Bones drive, he didn't like the way it made him feel exposed. When he was in the driver's seat, he was the one at the helm… literally and figuratively.

He let himself dwell on his feelings of vulnerability for a moment as he sat in traffic on the way to his shrink's office. Maybe this was something to take up with Dr. Benson. He realized that it was when he felt the most vulnerable is also when he lashed out the most. There was probably something to that.

He pulled in to the small parking area outside Benson's Georgetown brownstone. It was a three-story beauty in the heart of a great neighborhood. It was one of the kind of places that he and Bones had looked at before settling on the Forest Hills house. Benson lived on the upper two floors and the bottom floor served as his office.

He turned off the engine, but sat for a few more minutes jamming as he literally felt the kick-ass baseline in "How Many More Times." Finally, he shut off the stereo and climbed out of the car, clicking on the alarm and pocketing the keys as he made his way to the front door.

He knocked once before entering, looking around as he walked into the anteroom. The place was quiet and comfortable. Benson didn't have a secretary or receptionist, he felt his patients were able to make themselves comfortable as they waited.

"Seeley!" Benson called out. "Come on back."

Booth made his way to the office in the back of the building. Opening the door, he found the room to be empty.

"I'm out here," Benson called.

Following his voice, Booth walked toward a doorway he'd not been through before. He stuck his head into what appeared to be a workshop, and found Donovan Benson standing behind a table trying to put together what looked to be a carburetor from a '66 Mustang.

"Sorry," Benson said without looking up. "I got caught up in putting this damn thing back together. I'll be with you in just a minute."

"No rush," Booth said, leaning against the doorframe. "That from a '66?"

"'67, actually," Benson answered. "Shelby. She's out in the garage. I've been working on her for about two years now."

"I didn't know you were a car guy," Booth said. "I've got a '68 GTO sitting in a storage unit. Haven't had time for it in years, but I can't let go of it. When we get in the new house, I'll actually have some garage space. Maybe I'll finally get to it."

"It would be good for you to have a hobby to focus on," Benson said, tightening the choke linkages before preparing to reattach the accelerator pump.

"It would be nice," Booth replied, watching him. "But hopefully in a couple of weeks I'll be back to work and I won't have the time. That link's too tight," he pointed out. "You'll screw up the choke."

"Thanks," Benson said with a nod and a smile.

Booth walked over to the table to get a closer look at what the other man was doing. He stood quietly watching for a few minutes.

"I'm gonna have to move Monday's appointment," he said.

"Okay," Benson replied. "What's up?"

"My wife and I are going out of town this weekend. We're flying back on Monday night."

"Some time away for just the two of you," Benson said. "Sounds nice. Where are you going?"

"Martha's Vineyard," Booth replied.

"Swanky," Benson said, raising his eyebrow.

"Yeah, well… our friends have a place. I would have been just as happy to go to one of the beaches here… Maryland, or maybe down to the Carolinas. When I was a kid, we always went down the Jersey Shore…."

"Does going to Martha's Vineyard bother you?"

"It doesn't _bother _me," Booth said. "It's a quick plane trip and when money is no object a quick plane trip is easier than a road trip. But I'm just not used to thinking like that. I mean, it's still a little weird for me to be married to a millionaire… and our best friends have more money than God…"

"Does _that_ bother you?"

"I'll be honest, it used to. But Bones makes it easy. I mean, she doesn't flaunt her money… our money, she keeps telling me… but she never has to think about it before she buys something. She sees something she wants or something she thinks we need and out comes the black card. No questions asked. That's a little uncomfortable sometimes, but I'm working on it."

Both men grew quiet as Booth continued to watch Benson work on the carburetor. He watched in silence for a short while before he spoke again.

"So, Sweets gave me this assignment," he said.

"Oh?"

"He thinks I need to let my guard down more with Bones. Says I should let myself be more vulnerable in front of her…"

"And how do you feel about that?" Benson replied, his eyes never leaving the machinery he held in his hands.

"I feel like it's my job to protect her," Booth said with a sigh. "Not the other way around. But then, Sweets pointed out that my wife isn't exactly a shrinking violet. Bones is the strongest woman I've ever met… and she has control issues of her own."

"Do you think she might need to feel in control of you sometimes?"

"What? No," Booth answered, shaking his head in incredulity. "We don't have that kind of relationship. I'm not in control over Bones and she's not in control over me."

"So what do you think Dr. Sweets was getting at?"

Booth thought for a minute for the best way to describe the situation.

"Anthropologically speaking," he said, "I am a classic alpha male… powerful, courageous and goal-oriented. I feel the need to protect those I love, fiercely. I would lay down my life for them in a minute. Because of that, I am attracted to women with similar traits. My wife is as _alpha_ as they come. She thinks she doesn't need anyone, that she can take care of herself no matter what the situation. Hell, it used to be a fight just for me to just get her to let me open a damn door for her."

Though he found it very interesting, Benson chose not to comment on Booth's explaining his marriage in anthropological terms.

"So Dr. Sweets feels that you've taken some of that independence away from her?"

"No, I don't think so," Booth answered, picking up the screwdriver that Benson had set down. He began tightening the fastenings of the accelerator pump as he continued to speak. "At least I hope not. Bones and I are partners," he said. "In every sense of the word. We're equals, always have been. Even before we were together romantically… we were always there for each other. I've saved her life and she's saved mine. There's no one I'd trust more to have my back than Temperance Brennan."

"I can see how that would come in to play in your working relationship, but what how does that look at home?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you said that you need to protect her," Benson said. "And I can see how you might do that in the field, but what about when you're at home? Are you protecting her by not letting her see the truth about the situation you're in?"

"You think I'm lying to my wife?"

"No, I think you're lying to yourself."

"You have this white knight syndrome where you feel it's your duty to take care of everyone. But that doesn't make you an alpha-male. You've been doing it since you were ten and it's become a way of life for you. I think that subconsciously you're tired of always being the one to take care of everything. That is why you chose a mate who is your equal in every way. You didn't want a damsel in distress that you'd have to keep rescuing. You wanted somebody who would kick your ass when you need it, somebody who could pick you up if you ever got to the point that you couldn't hold the weight of the world anymore and it all came crashing down around you."

"And you think I'm reaching that point?"

"I think you're already there."

Booth stood quietly for a minute, trying to decide whether he agreed with the psychiatrist or not.

"What does that have to do with Sweets' assignment?"

"I think what Dr. Sweets was getting at is that showing a little vulnerability would be good for both of you."

"How?"

"Well, if Dr. Brennan is even half the woman you've described to me, then I think Dr. Sweets is right. She needs to feel needed, like she's being useful and she's taking care of you, too. Your marriage can't be a one way street or it's never going to last."

"It's going to last," Booth said, quickly.

"Then you have to work at it," the doctor simply stated. "And I think your trip to the beach will be the perfect place to do just that."

"Go on," Booth said, setting the now finished carburetor back on the work table.

"You and I have a lot to work on," Benson said. "You do display some characteristics of PTSD and we will deal with that. But you have so much wrapped up in that tight control of yours… starting with your old man and his treatment of you, your brother and your mother all the way up through what happened to Dr. Brennan in that cave. You're going to have to hit each of those things individually, but you can't do that until you give up some of that control that you hold on to for dear life.

I'm going to tweak Dr. Sweets' assignment just a bit. When you're alone at the beach this weekend, I want you to sit down with your wife and tell her a story. You have two choices," he said. "You can tell her about a specific incident in your childhood that resulted in a beating, or you can tell her about what you went through when she lost the baby."

"That's it?" Booth said. "Tell her a story."

"It's not going to be quite that easy."

"Of course not," Booth said.

"You have to be completely honest with her. Don't just tell her the story, you need to tell her how it made you feel. But you really have to think about it… in order to be honest with her, you're going to have to be honest with yourself."

**BnBnBnBnBnB**

Booth started the car and the strains of "Good Times, Bad Times" filled the space around him. He turned up the stereo and tapped on the steering wheel as he drove the streets of Georgetown.

He thought about what Benson had told him and the irony of the fact that he'd wanted to bring up what he thought was one of his control issues. They'd never gotten around to the driving thing, but there was plenty of time for that. Like Benson said, they had a lot to work through.

He hated the idea of telling Bones about something that had made him feel small and weak. He hadn't decided yet, but he knew he was probably going to choose to tell her something about his childhood. He was afraid that telling her how guilty he felt, still felt actually, about what she'd been through would make her have to relive it. She'd been doing such a great job of working through her own feelings that he just couldn't subject her to his failings on top of it.

It occurred to him that it was exactly that kind of "protection" that Benson was warning him away from.


	20. A House is Just a House

**AN- Again, sorry it's taken so long… especially since this one is mostly filler. Once again, I'd like to thank everyone who is sticking with me and this story. We'll be getting to the meaty stuff in the next few chapters and I hope to update in a timely fashion… but I'm going away on vacation next week and we are moving to the new house over the next few weeks, so things are going to be a little crazier than usual. Bear with me.. **

**Your reviews are great and always keep me going! Thanks for telling me what you like-and what you don't. Someone said there were a few times I didn't keep in character, these are things I need to know! If you see something jarring or something you don't like, please feel free to tell me that, too. I mean, I love the love, LOL… but constructive criticism helps us to grow as writers.**

**Enough babbling… on with the show. :-)**

Chapter 20 - A House is Just a House

"Babe, what are you doing? It's seven o'clock in the morning," he grumbled, rolling toward his wife as she jumped out of bed.

"I know, and I only have four days," she replied. "I have to get moving."

"Come back to bed," he said, reaching for her.

"Love to," she answered, slipping from his grasp. "But I have a mission."

He sat up and took notice of her demeanor. Her eyes flashed with mischief and her dimples showed deeply as she flashed him a wide smile.

"I know that look," he said warily. "That's your _Diabolical Mastermind_ look. What are you plotting?"

"I want to get Bren and Booth moved into the new house before they get back."

Hodgins fell back against the pillows, laughing as he shook his head. Life with Angela was never boring.

**BnBnBnBnB**

Booth shouldered his wife's bag and followed her through the tiny airport with his hand at the small of her back.

Brennan looked up to follow her husband's line of sight as she heard a groan coming from behind her.

"Oh, God," he said.

She looked up and saw a man holding a white sign with the name "Booth" written in bold, black letters.

"Bones, please tell me there isn't a limo sitting out there waiting for us."

Ignoring him, she walked up to the man holding the sign.

"We're the Booths," she said, impressing her husband.

"Dr. Brennan," the man acknowledged her. "I'm Jasper, the Hodgins' caretaker. If you'll follow me, please."

Booth rolled his eyes as the man reached for their bags. They followed him out of the airport to a Jeep Wrangler waiting at the curb. He set the bags in the back and handed Booth the keys.

"Everything at the cottage is set up per Mrs. Hodgins' instructions." He handed Brennan the keys to the house and a sheet of paper. "Here are the directions to the house, you'll find my telephone number on the bottom of the page. Please call if you need anything at all."

"Thank you, Jasper," she said, accepting the items from him. "I'm sure we'll be fine.

"Very well," the man said. "Enjoy your stay."

Booth wrapped his arm around Brennan's waist as they watched the funny little man walk away.

"Ready to hit the road, Mrs. Booth?" he asked, the twinkle in his eye matching the playful glare in hers.

"Let's go," she said, smiling back at him.

He helped her up into the Jeep and ran around to climb in on the driver's side.

**BnBnBnBnB**

Angela met the movers outside of Brennan's apartment building, not bothering to wait while her husband parked the car.

"Thank you for coming so early," she said, offering coffee to each of the assembled men. "We don't have a lot of time, and this has to be done right. You guys came highly recommended."

The foreman of the group introduced himself and Angela laid out her schedule as the men organized and followed her into the building.

"Okay, I need everything out of this apartment today," Angela said to the men.

It wasn't going to be too difficult a task as Brennan had already been preparing for the move. Her office and Parker's room were already packed, the guest bath was cleared out and she had sorted through both hers and Booth's clothing.

Angela sat down on the sofa and pulled a sketchbook out of her folio. She had helped Brennan plan out exactly where she'd wanted everything to go. Angela had sketched it all out when Brennan bought the new furniture. She was confident that she could arrange everything the way Brennan had planned.

"I don't know about this, babe," Hodgins said, entering the room around the movers. "Isn't this something they would want to do themselves? Moving in to your first house is a really big deal isn't it? Not that I would know," he added with a chuckle. "Living in the same house my whole life and all."

"Yeah, it is a big deal," Angela answered. "But I know what Brennan wants to do with the big stuff, and I thought we could leave all the really personal stuff for them to do together. You think I'm overstepping?"

"Yes," Hodgins answered, "but no more than you usually do. You have a habit of getting all the way into everyone's business…

"Are you calling me a busybody, Jack Hodgins?"

"No, baby. I'm calling you a great friend. It's one of the things we all love about you."

**BnBnBnBnB**

"Holy shit," Booth said as he pulled the Jeep into the driveway according to Bones' directions. "I thought you said Hodgins' had a cottage on the Vineyard."

"I guess on the Vineyard this is a cottage," Brennan replied, matching her husband's awe as she looked up at the expansive structure in front of them.

He pulled the car up in the circular drive and parked in front of the door. He climbed out and pulled their bags from the back. Walking around behind the vehicle, he met his wife as she stepped out of the Jeep. With a bag over his shoulder and one in his hand, Booth's other hand found the small of Brennan's back as he followed her up the porch steps to the front door.

Brennan unlocked the door and Booth followed her inside. He set the bags down in the foyer as they explored the house.

They walked in to the kitchen where they found a huge basket filled with Brennan's favorite organic snacks, Nacho Cheese Doritos, Mallomars and two great bottles of wine.

Brennan lifted the note that rested on the top of the basket.

_Sweeties,_

_The pantry and the fridge are stocked with all your favorites. Unless you really want to, you should have no reason to leave the house… if you know what I mean… and I know you do. Grab a bottle of wine an head to the master bedroom (upstairs, end of the hall facing the beach) I hope you'll find everything there to your satisfaction. If you need anything at all, call Jasper and he'll make it happen. _

_Relax and enjoy yourselves._

_More importantly, enjoy each other._

_See you Tuesday._

_~Angela_

"She's incorrigible," Brennan said with a laugh.

"Maybe," Booth said, wrapping his arms around her waist. "But she definitely has the right idea."

"Booth," Brennan tried to admonish, but quickly lost her train of thought as his lips made their way down the side of her neck.

"Yes, Bones?" he whispered into her ear, and the feel of his breath against her neck sent shivers down her spine.

"Let's go find that bedroom."

**BnBnBnBnB**

"Man, those guys work fast," Hodgins said, surveying Brennan's now empty apartment.

It was barely dinner time and everything had been moved from the apartment. The furniture had been set up in the house and Angela was working on plans to set up the kitchen and Parker's room.

"Maybe you were right," Angela said from the doorway. "I'm starting to think this wasn't such a good idea."

"It's a little late now, Angie," Hodgins replied. "We can't exactly have them move it all back."

"Why not?"

He stared at her. His intense baby blues were saying 'You have got to be kidding me,' and she just smiled back at him.

"Come on Hodgie," she said, still smiling widely. "Let's go home."

"What about Booth and Brennan's house?" he asked.

"It will still be there in the morning," she answered. "Besides, I want to call Brennan before I do anything else… and if my calculations are right she's a little busy right about now."

"I do love you," he said, pulling her into his arms. "You masterminding little minx."

"You wouldn't have me any other way," she said with a smile.

"Au contraire, ma petite," he said. "I'd have you any way… any way at all. You know that, right? I'm crazy about you Angela."

"I do know," she said. "And I feel the same way. Now take me home so we can spend the rest of the night proving it."

"I do love the way you think," he said, his bright blue eyes flashing as a smile spread over his face.

**BnBnBnBnB**

"Oh yeah," Booth said, panting. A huge smile spread across his face as he fell back against the mattress. "That's what I'm talkin' about."

"Really?" Brennan asked, laughing as she began to catch her breath. "I don't recall much talking at all."

"Thank you," he said quietly, rolling over and pulling her to him.

"You're welcome," she said. "But you really don't have to thank me. It's as much for me as it is for you," she added with a sexy smile.

"Nice," he said. "No, I don't mean for the…" he paused, waving his hand between them. "You know…"

"Love making?" she offered.

"Right," he answered. "I mean, that was amazing. But I meant thank you for this… this weekend. For bringing us here. I've missed us. I know that's weird because we never really had a traditional courtship and we lived apart for the first six months of our marriage…"

"The fact that we haven't done anything the traditional way is very appealing to me," she said.

"I know," he said, laughing. "And I wouldn't have it any other way. But these last few weeks," he went on, turning serious. "I've been so wrapped up in myself and in trying to get myself back to work… I haven't really been focused on you and on us the way I should be."

He softly ran his hand up and down her arm, watching intently as she closed her eyes obviously enjoying the sensation.

"Booth," she said after a few minutes. "We're not perfect. We are two imperfect people living in an imperfect world. You know that better than most people do. I love you. Right now, you shouldn't be focusing on me. You need to focus on you… that's the right thing to do. "

"It doesn't feel like the right thing," he said, burying his face against her shoulder.

"Baby," she said softly. "You know I love your alpha-male tendencies…" She ran her fingers through his hair. "In fact, I shouldn't tell you this, but your protective streak really turns me on," she whispered into his hair. "But you have to take care of yourself. If you don't, then you won't be able to be the obnoxious, overprotective, stubborn, strong and sexy man that I love. You've got to take care of you before you can take care of me."

"When did you get to be so smart?" he asked, turning his head to look at her.

"The most obvious answer is I was born that way," she said, seriously.

"That's the Bones I know and love," he said with a chuckle. "I meant, how did you get so wise about matters of the heart and human behavior?"

"Oh," she said, blushing. "I've been in therapy for the past seven months," she said. "But more to the point, I've been watching you for the past seven years."

He pulled himself up in the bed to sit up against the headboard. Bringing her up with him, he wrapped his arm around his wife, bringing her to his side.

"I think this weekend is going to be just what we need, Bones," he said, placing a soft kiss against her temple. He looked up and nodded toward the open balcony doors.

Following his line of sight, Brennan looked out to see the water lapping on the shore. The warm colors of autumn were filling the sky as the setting sun spilled it's golden red hues over the sea.

"Beautiful," she whispered.

"Yes, you are," he replied, leaning in and covering her mouth with his.

At first their kiss was soft, and gentle… a display matching the beauty of the sunset. Soon, it escalated to the passion that always simmered just below the surface when the two of them were alone together. Before long, they allowed themselves to give in to the passion and found themselves lost in a lovers' embrace.


	21. The Walls of Fate

Chapter 21 – The Walls of Fate

Booth woke to the shrill sound of a phone ringing from across the room.

"You've got to be kidding me," he grumbled into his pillow.

"It's mine," Brennan said, her breath warm against his chest.

She made no move to get up and answer it.

"Are you gonna get it?" he asked.

"No," she replied. "Too comfy," she added sleepily, as she wrapped her arms tighter around her waist.

"That's better," he said as the ringing stopped and silence filled the room.

As the morning sun filtered in through the sheer curtains on the now closed balcony doors, Booth pulled his wife close, urging her to look up to his face.

"C'mere," he said, leaning down for a good morning kiss. "Now, _this_ is the way to wake up."

Just as their kiss was beginning to move from good-morning to it's-gonna-be-a-_really_-good-day, they were once again interrupted by the ringing of Brennan's cell phone.

"They're not gonna give up," he said, frustrated as she sat up next to him.

"It has to be Angela," she said.

"Angela?" he asked. "Why would she be calling? She _knows_ she'd be interrupting…"

She looked at him pointedly.

"Do you know anyone else who would be so persistent?"

"You have a point," he answered, sitting up against the headboard and watching his wife as she got up to retrieve the phone from the dresser across the room.

The phone stopped ringing just as she picked it up. She glanced down at the call history.

"Angela," she confirmed.

"Call her back," he said.

She looked at him, surprised, as she climbed back into bed.

"You know she's just going to keep calling."

"You're right," she answered with a sigh as she snuggled back up against him.

Resting firmly in her husband's arms, Brennan scrolled through her missed calls and redialed Angela's last call.

"_Hi Sweetie," Angela answered on the first ring._

"Good morning, Angela," Brennan replied.

"_You're probably wondering why I was calling," her friend replied, sheepishly._

"The thought had crossed my mind."

"_I'm sorry for interrupting your weekend," Angela said. "I just wanted to ask you something, but I figured it out."_

"What was it?"

"_Nothing, Bren. Really, don't worry about it."_

"Angela," Brennan replied, nearing exasperation. "It must have been important for you to call this early… and more than once, I might add…"

"_I know, and I'm sorry for bothering you, really. It's okay. I figured it out. Forget about me and just enjoy that hunky hubby of yours. We can talk when you get back."_

"Ang, if you needed something…"

"_Really, don't worry about it. Enjoy your weekend and we will talk later."_

With that, Angela hung up and Brennan turned to Booth.

"That was strange, even for Angela," she said.

"What did she want?" he asked, tracing lazy circles on her hip.

"I don't know," she answered. "She wouldn't tell me. She just kept saying that we'd talk when I get back."

"Weird," Booth agreed. "But it is Angela we're talking about." He leaned in and pressed a kiss against her lips. "What do you want to do today?"

"I don't know," she answered, returning his kiss. "We could go down to the beach," she offered.

"Sounds good," he mumbled against her neck. "Later."

"Much later," she agreed, dropping her phone on the bedside table and moving into his embrace for a proper morning greeting.

**BnBnBnBnBnB**

"Well? What'd she say?"

"I chickened out."

"Angie…"

"I know, I know," she answered. "But seriously, like you said… it's already done. What good would it do to talk about it now?"

"I guess you're right," Hodgins replied. "So, what's on our agenda for today?"

"You get to set up Booth's _man cave_," she said with a smile.

"Oh, I don't know, babe. That's exactly the thing I'm afraid of. I'm sure he's gonna want to do that himself."

"In for a penny, in for a pound," Angela said. "We're already in this far…"

"It's a good thing I love you," he said with a laugh.

"Hey, you knew what you were getting into, mister."

"That I did," Hodgins replied with a kiss. "That I did."

**BnBnBnBnBnB**

Brennan spread a blanket out on the beach while Booth set up the beach umbrella beside her. She set the picnic basket down on the corner of the blanket and untied the sarong that was wrapped around her waist. She folded it, dropped it into the basket and sat down in the shade of the umbrella.

Booth looked down at his wife as she pulled up her hair and tied it into a quick, messy bun. He let out a soft, involuntary growl at the sight of her in that skimpy red bikini.

"Here," he said, sitting down behind her. He reached into the basked and took out the bottle of sunscreen. "Let me put this on you."

"Booth, I'm fine," she protested.

"Baby, I wouldn't want any of this beautiful skin to burn," he whispered in her ear, his voice husky. He rubbed up and down her arms. "Especially since you're showing so much of it."

"We're sitting in the shade, Booth," she said, flirting at him with a smile.

"I can't take any chances, Bones," he said. "You're my wife… It's my duty to protect this gorgeous body."

He flipped them over so that she was pinned under him.

"If you won't let me protect you with sunscreen, I'll just have to find another way to cover you," he said, leaning in to cover her mouth with his.

"Know what I love about Martha's Vineyard?" he said quietly, his breath hot against her ear.

"What, baby?" she replied breathlessly as she hungrily returned his kisses.

"Private beaches," he answered, his hands roaming the curves of her incredible body.

"I think we should make the most of that fact, Agent Booth," she said.

"I do love the way you think, Dr. Brennan," he answered.

"Thinking is just one of the things I do exceptionally well," she said, practically purring. "Let me show you another."

**BnBnBnBnBnB**

"Damn, babe. This stuff is almost as good as mine," Hodgins said, looking over Booth's home theater equipment. "Not that I care, but how much did this set me back?"

"Not a penny, Scrooge McDuck," Angela said with a laugh. "Brennan picked it all out. She bought it a couple of weeks ago."

"Brennan picked it all out?" Hodgins asked.

Angela nodded.

"Yes," she said, "Along with a very helpful and happy salesman."

"I'll bet," her husband replied.

"You should have seen the guys eyes light up when she said she wanted to build the perfect media room for her husband… and money was no object."

"I can imagine," Hodgins said, laughing.

"I think that commission probably put his kids through college."

"What's next?"

"Well… I decided against the muralist," she said. "I was going to have the Flyers logo cover the wall behind the bar. I think Booth would love that, but he might want to do something else… or have it done himself. I could even paint it, if that's what he wants."

"Good thinking, Angie," Hodgins said, walking up and taking her in his arms. "You gonna try and call Brennan again tonight?"

"No," she answered, reticent.

"Angie…"

"Oh, Hodgie," she said, sidling up to him. "I'll talk to her before they get back. I promise. I don't want to interrupt their weekend. They really need this time alone."

"I know, babe," he answered. "I know." He flashed her a smile. "What about _our_ weekend?"

"She's my best friend," Angela said. "I just want her to be happy. But don't worry… Mama's gonna make sure you're happy too, Big Daddy."

"Ooooh, I love it when you talk sexy, baby."

"You know it," she said with a sexy smile and a raised eyebrow. "Let's get out of here."

**BnBnBnBnBnB**

Booth sat on the beach, his back against a rock. His wife sat between his legs, leaning back against his chest. He wrapped his arms around her as they watched the waves tide going in and out.

"What are you thinking about?" he asked.

"You," she answered. "Me. Us. This is nice."

"It is," he said, leaning in to kiss her cheek.

"You know," she said. "This past year has been like nothing I ever thought I'd experience."

"Life is what you make it, Bones," he said. "But it rarely turns out the way we expect."

"That's true," she answered, smiling. "I never thought I'd be sitting here on the beach, wrapped up in the arms of my husband."

"Well, I never expected it to be Martha's Vineyard," he said. "But I always knew we'd end up like this. It's fate, baby," he added with a smile.

"I don't believe in fate," she said, seriously.

"Maybe not," he answered. "But you believe in us."

She nodded.

"I do."

They sat quietly for several long minutes, listening to the gulls overhead as the waves lapped along the shore.

"You know what else I never expected?" she asked softly.

"What?"

"That therapy would prove useful," she answered.

"But it has?" he asked cautiously.

"Yes," she told him honestly. "I've learned quite a lot."

"That's nothing new," he said, "That's my Bones… always learning."

"That's true," she replied. "But typically, it isn't about myself that I'm learning."

He waited for her to continue.

"Remember that night outside the Hoover?" she asked. "The day Sweets gave us his book?"

That was a night that he would never forget, but he knew she wasn't really asking for an answer and waited for her to go on.

"I told you that I couldn't change," she said. "But that isn't true, is it? Everything changes. I have changed, I had already changed. I started to change the minute you walked in to my lecture hall and into my life." She ran her hands over his arms as he tightened his embrace. "But the truth is, that I wasn't really changing… evolving… it's more that I was coming out of hiding.

It's not that I never believed in love. I did. I was a normal little girl who believed in fairy tales. My parents loved each other and they showed that to me and Russ every day.

But when they left," she said, "I started putting up walls. I was hiding behind those walls, trying to forget. It hurt so much, Booth."

"I know, baby," he said quietly, pressing a kiss to her head.

"I wanted to believe that love didn't exist. That it was just a symptom of chemical reactions, but I knew it wasn't true. I just kept telling myself that until I eventually believed it. It was the best way to protect myself. People thought that I was cold and heartless… but you knew that wasn't true. You knew that I was simply protecting myself. You knew that I needed to hide behind those walls. It was the only way I could survive the pain and the loneliness. But I didn't like hiding, Booth. I'm not a coward. That's what the walls made me feel like. You tore them all down," she said. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," he said. "But I should be thanking you. You know you've done the same for me, right?"

"You think?" she asked, sincerely.

"I do," he answered. "I think that's what Sweets has been getting at all these years. Benson is better at getting me to see what he wants me to see, but in the end it's the same thing anyway. After my old man, and Rebecca… I put up walls, too, Bones. It took the right woman to tear them down. I told you baby, it's fate."

"I told you Booth," she said, turning to face him. "I don't believe in fate."

"Sure you don't," he answered, smiling. "You just keep telling yourself that."

"I will," she said with a wide smile as she reached up to cover his mouth with hers.

**AN- You know what to do… review! :-) **

**I do read and consider each and every review, and not only do they encourage me to keep going, they let me know whether or not I'm on the right track. I won't guarantee that anything I read in a review is going to change the way I'm writing the story, but I definitely take your words under advisement. So, please… take a minute to tell me what you liked-and what you didn't**

**Thanks!**


	22. Water and Sand

**Disclaimer – No, not that one- you all know I don't own BONES. This is the disclaimer that says I've never been a victim of abuse, I've never been in therapy and I've never suffered from PTSD. I hope that I'm displaying all of the above with sensitivity and truth… but I have no firsthand experience. Oh, and I don't know the actual age difference between the Booth boys.**

**AN- So, sorry it's been so long. I'm trying to get back on a schedule and my plan is to post every Saturday… with an occasional "bonus" chapter during the week from time to time. As always, please review… your words keep me going. :-) **

Chapter 22 – Water and Sand

After a long and relaxing day at the beach, Booth and Brennan made their way back to the cottage. Booth carried the umbrella and the basket, Brennan walked along his side.

"I wish you'd let me carry something," she said.

"I got it, babe," he answered.

"Someday you'll get over all this alpha-male posturing."

"I doubt it," he replied with a wink and a smile. "But you know you love it. You totally think it's sexy."

"I'd think it was sexier if you didn't throw your back out thereby keeping us from actually having sex…"

"Whoa there, Bones. I'm not throwin' anything out… especially not with a picnic basket. Give a guy a little credit, will ya?'

"Oh I give you more than a little credit, Booth," she said, smiling at him in that way that said she was very amused with herself. "Especially when it comes to sex."

"Seriously, Bones?" he asked, looking around.

She laughed and reached over to touch his arm.

"You're not really worried about someone hearing us are you? Booth, this is a private beach. In fact, only an hour ago we were actually having sex on this beach, now you are worried about just talking about it? I really thought that once we became sexual partners that you would let go of some of your prudish tendencies."

He stopped, set down his burden and gently grabbed her arm, turning her to look her in the eye.

"I. Am. Not. A. Prude," he said, through his teeth. "You, of all people, should know that."

She couldn't escape the shiver and the flutter low in her belly in reaction to the low, sexy timbre of his voice.

"You _are_ very skilled," she offered, the sound of her voice causing a similar reaction in him. "You should be confident enough to discuss it."

"Oh, baby, I'm confident," he replied, pulling her in for a long, deep kiss that was meant to prove just that.

When they finally came up for air, he continued.

"It's not that I'm not confident," he said. "You know that, too. And you know that I _like_ to talk about it. You talking dirty turns me on like crazy. I just don't like to talk about it in public. I don't think that's too much to ask," he added, picking up the basket and umbrella.

Considering the subject closed, he began walking, leading the way as they continued their walk back to the house.

"But we're not in public," she insisted, smiling up at him with a twinkle in her eye. "We're walking alone on a private beach…"

"Enough!" Booth said, letting out a frustrated sigh. "Baby, you're making me crazy," he said, gently. He dropped the basket again and ran a hand over his face. "Bones, there is a reason why I don't like to talk to you about sex in public and I never have. Whenever the subject turns to sex, my mind goes places… and for a long time those places were really inappropriate. And now, when I'm actually allowed to think about you like that… its worse. I want to act on it. And when it comes to wanting you, Bones, I don't have a lot of patience. So, when the topic of conversation goes there…I'd just prefer it to be someplace where we can have a little privacy."

"But…"

"Yeah, baby, I know we're alone here," he said with a sigh. "Can we just shelve this 'til we get back to the house? Please."

The rest of the walk back to the house was quiet. They were both pensive after Booth's outburst.

Brennan watched her husband as they walked. She wondered what was really bothering him. They'd been trading barbs over his squeamishness over talking about sex for as long as they'd known each other. There was definitely something else going on here.

He had seemed to tense up as soon as they started talking about packing up and heading back to the house. She didn't want to push him. She knew that he'd talk to her about whatever was bothering him eventually.

**BnBnBnBnBnB**

The evening progressed in silence. It wasn't the companionable silence that they were used to, but the uncomfortable silence that came from an unknown source of tension. Booth's pensive mood seemed to continue and Brennan didn't have a clue as to what to do to bring him out of it.

When they had gotten back to the house, Brennan went to take a shower and change while Booth went to the kitchen. He prepared the salmon steaks Angela had left for them and went out on the patio to light the grill. Coming back into the house, he found his wife standing in the kitchen. She was taking out the ingredients to prepare a fruit salsa to go with the fish.

"I'm just going to jump in the shower," he said. "I'll put the steaks on when I get back."

"Okay," she said quietly, wondering again what could be bothering him when they'd had such a lovely afternoon.

He turned and began walking back toward the stairs leading to the bedrooms.

"Booth," she called out, stopping him in his tracks.

He turned back to look at her, but said nothing.

"I love you," she said, wanting to comfort him but not knowing what else to say.

"I know, Bones," he replied. "I love you, too."

With that, he disappeared up the stairs and she focused on her task of dicing fruit. She was glad that she had something to do, something to focus her energy on, as her mind continued to be occupied by her husband. She had sensed his mood darkening throughout the afternoon, but couldn't pinpoint any specific moment that may have caused the turn. By the time they'd been walking back to the house, he was in full brooding mode. She knew he would eventually open up to her so rather than pushing, she decided to wait him out.

**BnBnBnBnBnB**

Brennan watched her husband as they ate their dinner in silence. It was a beautiful evening, and they were enjoying the light sea breeze that blew across the patio

Booth looked out over the ocean. He didn't face his wife as the dam seemed to break and he finally began to speak.

"When I was a kid, we used to go down the shore for the summer. Pops and a few of his buddies bought a place on the beach," he said, smiling a wistful smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "I think they invented timesharing. Me, Mom and Jared would go down and Dad would come down on the weekends. Everybody from the neighborhood did it. Moms and kids were at the beach and the dads came on weekends. It was like our little part of South Philly transplanted to the Jersey shore for the summer. We spent more time there than a lot of families. Pops went and bought a second-hand piano so Mom could work. If she was able to work from the shore, then we could stay longer. It was really great," he said, pausing and seeming to gather his thoughts as he continued to stare out over the ocean.

Brennan watched and listened, but didn't speak. She knew enough to know not to interrupt him. It was obvious that his thoughts were all over the place and she'd be patient and let him get them all out.

"Me and Jared would go down to the beach with one of the neighbor families in the morning and Mom would work on whatever she had to do for the week. Eventually, she'd come down and join us. She never had to worry, because there were always other moms from the neighborhood there and I was never supposed to let Jared out of my sight.

One day, I guess I was eight-years-old, that made Jared about five…

He found this really big shell on the beach. It was the kind of conch shell that you find on tropical beaches, not on the Jersey shore… he was so excited that he wanted to show it to Mom right away. He took off back toward the house and I ran after him. He ran up the deck steps to the back door, and I got there just as he was pushing open the sliding screen door. He tripped over the threshold and the shell went flying. The problem is that it was full of sand and water. It went everywhere, which wouldn't have been a big deal… but my dad was there.

He jumped up out of the recliner and grabbed Jared by the arm. He was a scrawny little kid, and I swear I thought the old man was gonna rip his arm out of the socket. I didn't even stop to think; I charged forward and got in his face. I screamed at him to let Jared go…"

Brennan didn't interrupt, but she knew what was coming next and tears began to silently stream down her face. She waited for Booth to continue.

"… I'd seen him angry before, but I'd never seen that look in his eye. I would have sworn that his eyes went black. It was the first time that I'd stood up to him to protect Jared… He immediately let go of him, and Jared fell to the floor in a heap. Before I knew what was happening, the old man had drawn back his fist… he punched me, right in the face. I fell back on the floor next to where my little brother was laying. Jared was huddled up in a little ball, trying to pretend like he was someplace else. I just jumped right back up; I was determined not to show him I was afraid. I was the big brother. It was my job to take care of Jared…"

The hitch in his voice caused a lump in her throat. She reached over and took his hand.

"Where was your mother?" she whispered.

"Cleaning up the mess," he answered. "My dad was a neat freak. He was an army man all the way. Everything had to be spic and span. Our beds had to be made perfectly… no trace of anything out of its place. I remember she was crying and I think she asked him to stop, but she never moved to physically try to stop him. I think she knew it would be useless. The best thing she could do was to clean up the mess and hope that it would calm him down. I yelled at Jared to go back outside, and the old man kicked me a couple of times. Each time I got up, he'd slap me back down. I heard my mother crying from the other room. She said, 'Stay down, Seeley… just stay down.' So, I did.

Once the mess was cleaned up and Jared was gone, he just stopped. He turned his back on me like I wasn't even there and went back to his chair. He took a long pull from his beer and went back to reading the paper. Mom came out and helped me up; she took me out to the kitchen and cleaned up the cuts on my cheek.

She sent me to our room to calm down, promising she'd go out to check on Jared. I was in so much pain," he told her. "It hurt like hell… I'd never experienced anything like that. Not even when I was five and I fell out of the tree in Copeland Street Park trying to save Mrs. Benedetti's cat…"

He smiled for the first time since he'd begun talking.

Her expression matched his. Of course he'd broken his arm trying to rescue the neighbor's cat… and at only five years old. Even then, her Booth was putting others first.

"…It was right then and there that I decided I wasn't going to let the bastard hurt my little brother. I tried to protect my mom, too… but I couldn't always do that. I was just a little kid…"

Brennan got up and moved around the table to be closer to him as his eyes filled with tears. She sat down in his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Is this what you've been thinking about all evening?" she whispered, gently nipping along his jaw line as she nuzzled into the side of his neck.

"Yeah," he said softly. "Sweets and Benson gave me this assignment…"

"Assignment?" she asked, leaning back to look in his eyes.

"They wanted me to tell you about a time that my dad beat the crap out of me," he said. "And they thought this trip would be a good time to do it. So, early this afternoon, I decided I would tell you tonight…"

"And that's when you started to distance yourself," she said, amazing them both at her insight. "The more you thought about it, the further you got from me. I don't like that," she said, leaning in to kiss him gently. "I don't like seeing you hurting."

"It's not a real picnic for me, either, baby," he said, resting his forehead against hers.

"But I am glad that you trusted me enough to tell me, to be vulnerable in front of me," she said.

"That was kind of the idea," he said. "They said that I needed to be able to let go and not be so strong or stoic all the time. That I should lean on you more… they reminded me that I'm not alone anymore."

"No," she said, "you're not. Thank you for trusting me."

He answered her without words by placing another gentle kiss on her lips.

"Is that how it started?" she asked. "That's when you became a rescuer, a knight in shining armor…"

"I guess," he said. "I've never really thought about it. It's like that's just how it always has been. I don't consciously think about it, but I don't really remember what life was like before, either."

"I hate that you had to go through that," she said sincerely. "But it did help shape you into the man you are… the man who saved me."

"You're amazing," he said softly, his voice full of awe and wonder. "For someone who thinks she's no good with people, you sure do _get_ me."

"Because I love you," she said simply, "and you taught me how to see you-it's the same way you see me. I can see past your flaws and see the man underneath. I can see past your weaknesses, though they are few and far between. I can see past all of that because whenever I look at you, all I see is the man I love…the man who loves me despite my considerable flaws, the man who always puts me first, and the man who will take care of me, no matter what."

Again, he could only respond with a kiss.

"But that works both ways, you know," she said softly, caressing his cheek. "I want to be that person for you, too-the one you go to, the one who takes care of you…"

"You are, Bones," he answered, again resting his forehead against her as he caressed her cheeks. "You are."

He felt her shiver from the chill of the sea air, and realized how late it had gotten.

"There is another thing that they suggested I talk to you about," he said. "And I think it's something we need to talk about, but let's do it inside, hmm?"

"It has gotten a little chilly," she said, leaning in for another sweet kiss. "Let's go."


	23. Solace

**AN- Not sure how I feel about this one… I hope you like it. Please let me know what you think. This chapter is dedicated to Skole, who asked for comfort sex. LOL, I suck at love scenes- so I hope you enjoy the way it came out. As always, your reviews are greatly appreciated. They REALLY keep me going.**

**And in an indulgent side note, thanks to everyone who's supported my one-shots, too. Especially "The Realization in the Chick Flick." Thanks for reading and reviewing it, too! I think there might be another "Goodbye Hannah" one-shot in the offing. :-)**

**Now, back to our regularly scheduled programming. This is your "Saturday" posting, just a little early.**

Chapter 23 - Solace

Booth and Brennan cleared the dinner table and went inside. They spent a little while cleaning up the kitchen and then changing clothes to settle in for the evening. Booth was changed first and went into the living room. He started a small fire in the fireplace and poured them both a glass of wine before going to sit on the sofa. When his wife came down the stairs, he opened his arms beckoning her to join him.

"This is nice," she said, snuggling against his strong chest. "I enjoy the quiet times we can spend alone together."

"So do I," he said, pressing a kiss to her temple.

They enjoyed the peaceful, companionable silence for a while. This was so much different than the tension-filled silence of earlier in the afternoon.

"So, this is a red wine conversation," she said quietly.

"If not stronger," he answered.

"What did you want to talk about?" she asked, as he knew she would.

He let out a long sigh and once again gathered his thoughts. Just like ripping off a band-aid, he knew the best thing to do was to just jump right in and say it.

"The baby," he said quietly, wincing as she stiffened in his arms. "Or more accurately, your accident and how I dealt with it."

"How _you_ dealt with it?" she asked warily.

"Yes," he said. "Benson said I should talk to you about how I felt when we lost the baby. I think he was specifically getting at my feelings of failure because I wasn't there to protect you… I wasn't there to keep you from getting hurt. I've always said I'd have your back, Bones. No matter what. But this time, when it may have counted the most… I didn't. I wasn't there."

"Booth, it's illogical to think that you could protect me, our children or anyone else one-hundred percent of the time."

"I know that, Bones," he said, tapping his index finger against his temple, "up here." Then he moved to place his hand over his heart, "But _here_, it feels like I failed you."

She sat up and leaned forward, turning to look him in the eye.

"Seeley Booth," she said, seriously. "You have never failed me, or Parker, or Jared… or anyone else that you've taken it as your responsibility to take care of."

"But I wasn't there…"

"Of course you weren't there. There would be no reason for you to be there… and even if you had been there, it isn't likely that the outcome would have been changed."

He was still shaking his head. She knew that he'd always blamed himself whenever anything happened to her, but she had no idea he was still dealing with so much guilt over this situation. In truth, she had never considered blaming him for what had happened. She did, however, continue to blame herself. She took his hand in hers.

"Booth," she said, her voice soothing him as only she could. "What happened was a terrible accident. It's taken me months to be able to say that and really mean it. But if either of us is to blame, it is me. I'm the one who insisted on staying in Maluku after I knew that I was pregnant. I not only continued to do fieldwork, but I maintained long hours in the jungle with sometimes only Daisy by my side…"

Her voice was getting thicker as she went on, he could hear her choking back tears.

"Bones…"

"No," she stopped him from interrupting her. "My drive to be the best in my profession and my obsessive need to put work first is what put our child in danger. It was my reckless behavior that cost our baby's life and there's nothing you could have done differently that would have changed that."

Tears were streaming down his face in earnest as she finally let hers fall. He pulled her into his arms and held her to his chest, stroking her hair as he murmured words of love and encouragement into her ear.

"Shh," he soothed. "Baby, it's okay. It's not your fault." He placed a gentle kiss on the top of her head. "You weren't being reckless. You're right. It was just an accident. A terrible accident."

As he continued to try and console his wife, Seeley Booth listened to himself. He began to hear the truth in his words. He was right. Neither of them was to blame. Bones didn't believe in fate, but he did… and he knew that this just hadn't been meant to be. It wasn't this baby's time.

He believed that their baby was an angel and now she would be a guardian angel, looking after her brothers and sisters… whatever children they were blessed to bring into the world. And they would. He knew that his wife was going to be an amazing mother. She was already fantastic with Parker…. And Parker was looking forward to having siblings.

He thought she'd been handling everything so well. First working with Dr. Grayson, and then with Dr. Delaney… she seemed to be so strong. Why hadn't he realized what she was going through? He'd been so busy blaming himself, he assumed that she'd blame him, too.

"You're amazing," he said, whispering into her ear as he stroked her hair.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, as tears began to stream down her face.

He took her hand and led her up the stairs and to the bedroom at the end of the hall.

No more words were said, as they each took what they needed from the other…giving comfort as only they could. They kissed, caressed, fondled, groped… loved…

Their lovemaking took on a desperation that neither had known before as they finally let go of the fear and the pain, the anger and frustration.

Together, they found welcome relief from their incredible loss and they found solace as they each discovered home in the other's welcoming arms.

**BnBnBnBnBnB**

"Perfect," Angela said, obviously satisfied with herself.

She leaned back against the kitchen counter, observing her surroundings. The once foreboding structure felt warm and inviting. There was definitely a homey vibe to it that she knew her friends, especially Booth, would appreciate.

"You did good, babe," Hodgins said, agreeing with his wife's assessment.

"You really think they'll like it?" she asked, nervous.

"I'm sure they're gonna love it," he answered, taking her in his arms. "What's not to love? You're right, it's perfect. Hell, _I_ want to live here."

Angela laughed out loud at his attempt at reassurance.

"It is nice," she said. "Isn't it? I just hope they're not upset about us doing it without them…"

"Don't worry, Angie," he said. "I'm sure they'll be thrilled that they didn't have to do the work. You left them the personal touches, and that's the important part."

"They've just been through so much," she said, choking up as her eyes filled with unshed tears. "I wanted to do something to make this transition a little easier for them, you know?"

"I do know," he said, rubbing soothing circles over her back. "You're a great friend, Ange. Brennan loves you and she's going to love all the work you put in to getting this place ready for them."

"I'm just so glad that she and Booth have finally found their way together," she said, sniffing back her tears. "They deserve a little happiness. I mean, I think about the first year of our marriage, and how great it was… we're so lucky…"

"I don't think luck really had anything to do with it," he said with a smile. "It was fate, baby. You and me… we were meant to be. We might not have been as star-crossed as Booth and Brennan, but it took us a while to get it together, too. We made it… they will, too."

They stood in the silence of the kitchen for a while longer, just holding each other. It was a warm and companionable silence, one they both found comfort in. So much so that Hodgins jumped when his wife finally spoke.

"Jack," she said.

"Yeah, babe?"

"I want to have a baby."

**BnBnBnBnBnB**

The morning sun streamed through the open balcony doors, swathing the lovers in its warmth.

Brennan woke first, which was not unusual. She stirred slightly in her husband's arms, moving into a more comfortable position. She tried not to wake him, and she had no intention of moving out of his embrace.

She lay awake in his arms for quite a while, listening to his rhythmic breathing. She reveled in the newfound freedom they had achieved the night before. They would forever grieve the child they lost and that baby would always hold a place in their hearts, but they were now free from the guilt and the shame of their loss.

She let her thoughts go, unchecked… She enjoyed times like this when she could really allow herself to let go. She thought about how happy she was that Booth had finally found a way to convince her that forever was possible.

She thought about home… the house they'd bought and the life they would build there. She knew that Parker was excited about moving, and although he tried to hide it, his father was too.

She thought about the plans she and Angela had drawn up and how much fun it was going to be to set up their house. She'd lived in her current apartment longer than she'd lived anywhere in her adult life. If she allowed herself to admit it, she was excited, too. She was excited about putting roots down in the house that she and Booth may well live in for the rest of their lives.

The rest of their lives.

That was no longer the scary concept that it used to be. She knew that what she had with Booth was a forever kind of love. It was the kind of love that her parents had shared. It was the kind of love that built families… the kind of love that filled houses.

That thought gave her pause, but only for a minute.

She slowly turned in Booth's arms until she was facing him. She gently cupped his cheeks in her hands and softly pressed her lips to his.

She moved her hands down his neck and over his strong shoulders. Her hands were moving of their own accord as her caress moved down his back. She wrapped her arms around him and held him close, pulling him to her as she rained soft kisses down over his chest.

"Booth," she murmured between kisses.

He was enjoying her ministrations too much to open his eyes. He lay there, feigning continued sleep as his wife gently touched, nipped and kissed every exposed inch of his skin.

"Booth," she whispered again.

He held back a moan as she moved back up his torso and her lips moved toward his ear. Her breath was hot against his neck as she said his name for the third time.

"Booth," she practically purred. "Wake up, baby," she said. "There's something I have to tell you."

This got his attention, but he still didn't open his eyes. He pulled her closer and wrapped his arms tightly around her. Without opening his eyes, he began his own loving assault by pressing his lips to his favorite spot at the base of her neck… that sexy little place where it met her shoulder.

"I'm not ready to wake up yet," he whispered, his voice husky as his morning beard brushed against the skin of her elegant throat.

"Booth," she said, breathless as he detected the excitement in her voice. "I figured it out. I'm ready…"

Good, he thought… he was more than ready for another round, himself.

"Booth," she said… "I want to have a baby."


	24. Robbed

**AN- So, I finished most of this at work today, so it looks like you get a Saturday update after all. :-) I couldn't hold it for a whole week, LOL. Just means I have to work harder to make sure I get another update done for next Saturday! **

**Thank you so much for all the reviews… keep them coming! The more I read of what you think of the story, the more I want to write! **

**I had some fun with this one, and I hope you like it, too.**

Chapter 24 - Robbed

Booth and Brennan sat hand-in-hand, not speaking but peacefully enjoying the quiet in the First Class cabin as they made their way home to DC. They had enjoyed their time at the beach, not only having some time for fun and just being together, but also making time for some much needed discussions that would help them get past their problems and move on with their lives.

"Angela is going to kill us for coming home early," Booth said, gently rubbing his wife's hands between his.

"Not if we don't tell her," Brennan replied, smiling behind closed eyes.

"She always knows," Booth replied. "I don't know why she bothers with that psychic; she obviously has some freaky powers of her own."

Brennan's smiled broadened.

"She doesn't have any supernatural powers, Booth," she said. "She's just very intuitive… you, of all people, should appreciate that."

"Why 'of all people?'" he asked, turning to look at her.

Feeling his eyes on her, she opened hers.

"Because she follows her gut," she said. "Like a certain FBI agent I know… and she's usually right."

"Like that certain FBI agent," he added.

"I'm glad she convinced us to go away," Brennan mused. "I think we really needed it."

"Yeah," he answered. "We're gonna really have to work at this whole marriage thing…"

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"Well," he said, tentatively as he turned to look into her beautiful blue eyes. "I just mean that it's been a while since either of us has been in a serious romantic relationship, and neither of us has ever been married… and even if we had been… this relationship is so different from anything else… we're both pretty independent… we're both stubborn…"

"Booth, you're babbling."

"I'm just saying that this weekend was great," he said with a sigh. "But look how long it took us to finally talk about what happened. We just need to make a conscious effort to put our marriage first and discuss things with each other, that's all."

"I agree," she said, leaning her head down to his shoulder.

"I can't wait to get home," he said.

"I know," she said, agreeing once more. "As much as I enjoyed Hodgins' _cottage_, it will be nice to be back in the apartment in our bed."

"It's amazing how quickly your apartment became home," he said. "And as nice as Hodgins' place was, I'm looking forward to spending a couple of days in our cozy little place, just the two of us."

"Mmm…." Brennan cozied herself up against her husband's side. "Me, too."

**BnBnBnBnBnB**

The couple retrieved their bags and hailed a taxi outside of Reagan National Airport, which was as busy as one would expect on a Sunday evening. They were hungry, but tired and chose to just go home rather than stop for dinner.

"Hey, Bobby," Booth said to the surprised doorman as they walked into the building.

"Agent Booth," the man replied. "Did you have a good trip?"

"It was nice, Bobby," Brennan answered. "But we're just glad to be home."

The doorman watched as the couple boarded the elevator and headed for their floor. Neither of them noticed the quizzical look on his face as they walked away.

"This oughta be good," Bobby muttered to himself as the couple disappeared behind the elevator doors.

**BnBnBnBnBnB**

"So, have you thought about how you're going to tell Booth and Brennan what you did?" Hodgins asked.

"What _I_ did?" his wife answered. "Don't you mean, 'what _we_ did'?"

"Got it," he responded with a grin. "Guilty by association… there's no way I'm getting out of this."

"And no," Angela said, dropping down into the plush sofa of their living room. "I haven't. We've still got about 24 hours… I figure we'll pick them up at the airport and just drive them over to the house."

"So, springing it on them would be best," Hodgins said.

"You have a better idea?" Angela asked,

"Nope," he answered, sitting down beside her. "This is your show, Mrs. Hodgins. I'm just along for the ride."

"You know you gave up plausible deniability a long time ago, right?" she asked with a chuckle.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he said, his blue eyes alight with love and laughter.

"Come on, Jack," she said, her voice taking on a pleading tone. "You're the genius, think of something!"

"I'm a genius when it comes to bugs and particulates," he said. "You are the evil genius in the family. Come on, Mastermind… you can come up with something."

"I will," she said. "I will…. But for now, let's just plan on picking them up at the airport and we'll go from there." She reached over and leaned in to place a kiss on his lips as she climbed into his lap. "Right now, I've got another evil plan in mind..."

**BnBnBnBnBnB**

Brennan opened the door to the apartment with shaky hands, distracted as her husband stood behind her. His arms were wrapped around her waist and his lips pressing soft kisses along the side of her neck.

Finally, she opened the door and stumbled into the apartment, with Booth following behind her. His attention was focused on Brennan, so he didn't notice the cavernous feeling of the apartment as quickly as she did.

"Booth," she said, unsure whether the rapid beating of her heart was due to her husband's ministrations or the fear that was slowly creeping up her spine. "Something's wrong."

"What is it, baby?" he asked, looking up for the first time.

She flipped on the light switch to reveal a completely empty apartment.

"What the hell?" he asked no one in particular. His shock quickly abated as he morphed into action mode, cursing the fact that he was unable to travel with a weapon. "Stay back," he said, swiftly changing places. Whatever was going on, he'd make sure that he was firmly between his wife and any potential danger.

The stood quietly for a moment, listening. It didn't take long for both of them to determine that they didn't think anyone else was in the apartment. Slowly, they made their way down the hallway to their bedroom. Booth flipped on the light switch.

This room contained furniture, but that was all.

The bed in the middle of the room had been stripped of all linens, and the room completely divested of any personal items. Booth moved to the bathroom while Brennan stepped toward the walk-in closet.

Booth was completely baffled to find the bathroom stripped as bare as the rest of the apartment. He knew that he'd left his towel hung over the shower bar when they'd left on Friday morning. What kind of thief steals dirty laundry?

Brennan was coming to another conclusion as she stood in the empty closet.

Slowly, they each made their way back to the center of the room.

"What the hell is going on here?" Booth said, not expecting an answer.

"I don't know," Brennan replied. "But I have an idea, and I'm almost certain Angela is behind it."

"_Angela_ stole all our stuff?" Booth asked, confused as he sat down on the edge of the bed.

"No," she said, smiling as she sat down next to him. "Angela _moved_ all our stuff. I would be willing to bet that if we walked around, the only things we'd find in the apartment are the things we were not planning to use in the new house."

"So, Angela moved us into the new house without telling us?" he asked, unsure how he actually felt about that.

"It would appear so," she said, sadly.

"That was nice," he said trying to sound excited as he reached over to take her hand.

"I know she was only trying to help," Brennan said, "but why do I feel as if we missed out on something?"

"Because we did," he said, rubbing her hand between his. "Moving in to a new house is a big deal," he said. "And it's something we were looking forward to."

"So it's okay that I'm not feeling particularly grateful at the moment?" she asked, her eyes brimming with unshed tears as she once again looked to him for her social cues.

"It's perfectly okay, Bones," he said, leaning over to place a sweet kiss against her lips. "I'm not exactly feeling grateful myself."

He sat there, holding her hand as they both looked on, saying nothing.

"What do you want to do?" he asked, finally. "Do you want to go over there?"

"No," she said quietly. "Let's just stay here tonight. We have our travel bags, so we have everything we need for one night."

"But we don't have any sheets and blankets," he said.

"There's a throw blanket on the futon in Parker's room," she offered. "I hate it, so it's probably still here."

**BnBnBnBnBnB**

"Sshhh…" Angela said, stopping her husband as she heard noises from the back of the apartment. "Someone's here."

"Okay, Angie," Hodgins said, pushing past her into the kitchen. "I know you're worried about Booth and Brennan coming home tonight, but now you're just being paranoid."

"No, I'm not," Angela spat in a hushed whisper. "I know that someone is here," she said, turning toward the hallway that led to the bedroom. "And what happened to the conspiracy theorist I married?"

"He's right here," Hodgins answered. "Getting out your latte and bagel. Sit down and have breakfast with me. We'll finish packing up the last of the stuff and head over to the new house. Then we'll figure out what you're going to tell Booth and Brennan."

"Tell Booth and Brennan about what?"

Angela jumped and Hodgins just laughed at the sight of Booth standing in the hallway, rubbing his face like he'd just woken up.

"Busted," Angela said softly.

"Yeah, busted," Booth answered. "Tell me you brought one of those for us," he added, pointing to the cups of coffee.

"We didn't exactly expect you to be here," Angela said, receiving a serious glare from Booth. She extended her arm in his direction. "Here, have mine. I've already had too much caffeine this morning."

"Good answer," Booth said, sitting down on the stool at the counter. He didn't even feel guilty about taking her coffee. He looked down the hallway to the open door to the bedroom where he left his sleeping wife.

"You're mad," Angela said. It was a statement, not a question.

"You think?" Booth responded sarcastically.

"Hey…" Hodgins said, moving toward their friend in defense of his wife.

"I'm sorry," Booth said. "But really, Angela… what were you thinking?"

"That you guys have been through more than any one couple should have to go through," Angela replied. "I just wanted to do something nice for you."

"And you did," Booth replied. "You sent us to the beach."

"Did you have a good time?" she asked.

"It was great."

All three of them were startled as Brennan answered from the doorway. She was wearing Booth's t-shirt over her pajamas as she walked into his embrace.

"Morning, baby," he said.

"Good morning," she replied. "Is that coffee?"

"It's a frou-frou latte," he said, handing her the cup. "I stole it from Angela."

"What are you two doing here?" Angela asked, finally finding her voice.

"It's our apartment," Booth answered. "What's your excuse?"

"You know what I mean," Angela answered, placing her hands on her hips. "You're not supposed to be back until tonight."

"We loved the cottage," Brennan answered. "But we were just ready to come home… to spend the night in our cozy little apartment…"

"Imagine our surprise," Booth said, "when we came home to find it gutted."

"I'm sorry," Angela said. "I really hoped you'd be happy…"

"We appreciate the gesture, Ange," Brennan said. "But it was quite a shock to come home to an empty apartment."

"Which wouldn't have happened if you'd come home on schedule," Angela scolded. "I should know better than to try to surprise you two, you always thwart my plans," she said with a smile.

"_There's_ my evil genius," Hodgins said, joining in to the conversation.

"Since you robbed me of my chance to surprise you," Angela said, "go get dressed and we'll take you over. Your cars are there, too," she added sheepishly.

"We'll talk about who robbed who later," Booth said, his stern demeanor melting into a charm smile. "C'mon Bones, let's go get changed. The Hodgins' are gonna buy us breakfast."

**BnBnBnBnBnB**

The foursome sat at their favorite table at the diner. The other three looking on as Booth shoveled in mouthfuls of pancakes.

His wife knew exactly what he was doing. This was obviously his way of avoiding the mastodon in the room.

Someone had to say something.

"Angela," she began, tentatively. "Thank you. It was a very nice gesture to save us the trouble of moving into the house…"

"But you would rather have done it yourself," Angela said, interrupting. "I get it. I'm really sorry… I just wanted to do something for you. You guys have been so busy and you've had so much going on…. I thought it might be nice to come home to your big, beautiful house…"

"And it would have," Booth said, finally looking up at his companions. "But this is our _first _house… and it might very well be the last house we live in… who knows? I was really looking forward to us moving in together…"

"It's really that big of a deal to you?" Angela asked.

"Yeah," Booth answered honestly. "It's kind of a rite of passage. I was looking forward to getting my buddies together, making Jared's sorry ass haul some boxes… getting everyone to pitch in and then kicking them out once everything is in so that Bones and I could christen the place properly…"

His face turned the palest red as he realized what he'd said and to whom.

"Jack warned me you might want to do it yourselves," Angela said. "But by then I figured I was already in too deep. But really," she insisted, "all we did was the heavy lifting. We left all the personalizing to you. You've still got plenty of boxes to unpack…"

"…and plenty of rooms to christen," Jack added with a grin.

"What is all this christening?" Brennan asked. "It's a house, not a ship…"

"I'll tell you later, baby," Booth said, laying his hand on her thigh as he leaned in to whisper in her ear. "Or better yet, I'll show you," he said, giving her leg a squeeze.

Her eyes widened as she realized the implications. _Christening_ might just turn out to be a whole lot of fun…

"So, we'll go over to the house and show you what we've done and leave you to your personalizing," Angela said, feeling better about the whole situation.

"Did you use the plans we made?" Brennan asked, hoping to be able to say she at least had some hand in what was done.

"To the letter, sweetie," Angela replied, beaming. She turned back to Booth. "I'm really sorry, Studly," she said. "I didn't realize how much it would mean to you."

"Don't worry about it, Ange," he said. "I mean, yeah, it does kinda feel like you robbed us of an important event in our life together," he told her, his smile taking some of the edge off his words. "But you did it with the best of intentions, and you did save me from having to do all the heavy lifting, so I guess I should be thanking you."

The conversation dwindled as both couples' attention was turned back to the food. Soon, they were all but finished and just sipping on their coffee. Booth clapped his hands and then rubbed them together.

"Eat up everybody," he said. "Chop, chop… we've got a house to see!"


	25. The Fun Part

**AN- Babysitting is in full swing… and I didn't totally proof this, LOL! I hope it's not too bad. **** Looking forward to your reviews!**

Chapter 25 – The Fun Part

Booth was surprised by the butterflies in his stomach as Angela turned the minivan into the entrance of their new neighborhood. He didn't notice that she didn't stop at the guard stand, but breezed through the electronically activated "resident" lane. He squeezed his wife's hand slightly and she leaned over to place a sweet kiss against his lips.

"Welcome home, Booth," she whispered as the vehicle turned into their driveway.

"Welcome home, Bones," he replied, leaning in to kiss her. "This is it."

They climbed out of the Siena and followed Angela and Hodgins to the edge of the sidewalk.

"You guys should go first," Angela said, her earlier sheepishness returning.

"Thanks, Ange," Booth said warmly, reaching out to squeeze her hand. He then turned to his wife, "Ready, Bones?"

She nodded back at him, reaching in to her bag for the key.

"Let me," he said. He reached into his pocket and took out his own keys. He took his wife's hand in his left and together, they walked up to the front door of their new home. He placed the key in the lock and opened the door.

Before Brennan could step forward to walk into the house, Booth had reached over and scooped her up into his arms.

"Booth!" she exclaimed, "What are you doing? Put me down!"

Hodgins and Angela giggled behind them as they watched Brennan struggle.

"No way, Bones," Booth said. "This is one tradition we're keeping. I'm carrying my bride over the threshold."

"Oh Booth," she said. "This is ridiculous. Put me down! Do you even know why you're doing this? The tradition of carrying the bride over the threshold has its roots in several different cultures. In most of them, the tradition began because the bride was either being _kidnapped_ or was reluctant to _give herself_ to her husband…"

"Sounds about right to me," Hodgins muttered under his breath, receiving an elbow from his own bride.

"… and since our marriage was essentially my idea and I am by no means a virgin…"

"All right, all right," Booth said. "Enough! I get it."

He set his wife down on her feet in the foyer and leaned down to kiss her. This kiss was deeper than the gentle kisses they shared in the van, but still appropriate for the fact that they weren't alone.

As the kiss ended, they made their way into their home hand-in-hand. It was beautiful, but it didn't quite feel like home, at least not to Booth. Bones and Angela had done a great job of choosing paint colors and furniture, and the place looked like it could be featured in a magazine… but it felt like something was missing.

Because it was.

It was in that moment that Booth realized what Angela had meant when she said they'd just done the heavy lifting. They'd moved in the furniture and emptied the boxes… but the place they'd set up could belong to anyone. It was up to him and Bones to make it their own.

"Angela, I love you," he said, turning around to pull the artist into a hug.

As he released her, he turned back to take his wife in his arms, a huge smile spreading across his face.

"This is perfect," he said, leaning in to kiss Brennan's temple. "They did the work, but we get to have the fun."

Brennan looked at him skeptically, as if she weren't quite sure what he was talking about.

"Bones," he said, reading her expression. "This place is beautiful. You have great taste, and Angela did a great job following your instructions, but as gorgeous as this place is, does it feel like _home_ to you?"

"No," she admitted, "not really."

"Exactly," he answered. "And do you know why?"

She shook her head.

"Because all this stuff is nice, but it's not ours…"

"It is ours," she began to argue, until she was stopped by her husband's forefinger meeting her lips.

"I know we bought it, baby," he said. "But we haven't used it yet… it's not personal. We need to add _our stuff_. Your artifacts… my memorabilia… pictures… Parker's drawings… you know, the stuff that makes a house a home."

Following his line of thinking, a wide smile graced her face.

"And that's the fun part," she said.

"You got it," he answered, leaning in for a kiss.

As they walked through the main floor of the house, Angela was torn between her excitement-wanting to show them everything she'd done, and seeing the intimacy of the situation and wanting to leave her friends alone.

Finally, intimacy won out… but not before one last stop.

"Hey guys," Angela said. "We're going to leave you to explore on your own, but there is one thing that I wanted to show you first. If you will follow me…"

Booth, Brennan and Hodgins turned to follow as Angela opened the door that led to the lower level.

"Oh god," Booth said ominously but with a smile on his face. "Ange, please tell me you didn't girly-up my man room."

"Oh I did," Angela said, laughing. "I think you're gonna love the pink plush sofa."

"She wouldn't," Booth whispered toward his wife's ear. "Would she?"

"I don't think so," Brennan answered in earnest. "She said she followed the plan to the letter, and I did not request pink anything for that particular room. In fact," she said. "I don't think there is anything pink in the entire house."

Angela stopped the group about halfway down the stairs.

"Booth," she said. "Close your eyes. Bren, make sure he doesn't peek."

"I'll fall down the stairs," Booth said, laughing as Brennan covered his eyes with her hand.

"Just hold on to Brennan," Angela said, "and Jack will help guide you."

Angela bit her lip as she led the others into the room. When they were finally in the middle of the room, standing in front of the black leather sofa and facing the movie-theatre sized LED TV she nodded to Brennan who removed her hand from her husband's eyes.

"Okay Booth," Angela said, holding her breath. "Open your eyes."

"Oh. My. God," Booth said, his mouth gaping open. "I've died and gone to heaven." He leaned over and whispered in his wife's ear, "This room definitely gets christened first."

They looked around the room and Booth was in awe of the perfect "man cave." The whole room was dark with chrome accents. The walls were painted a deep charcoal and covered with black theater curtains that hid a massive surround-sound system. The Berber carpet was in shades of grey and the furniture was black. The lighting was recessed, but there were several chrome floor lamps around the room.

Almost hidden from view were recessed areas on each side of the television that housed both a DVD and a Blu-Ray player, the satellite TV receiver and DVR, Xbox, PS3, and Wii gaming systems and a state-of-the-art stereo system with CD changer, Sirius radio and an iPod dock.

Booth was speechless as he walked around toward the bar area. The regulation pool table was gorgeous with its red felt top and it sat next to a Vegas-style poker table. Amid all the dark, masculine splendor, he was struck by the stark white wall behind the bar.

Sensing his confusion, Angela spoke up.

"That's left for personalization," she said. "We thought you might like to have a mural painted there." She paused for a moment, waiting for his reaction. "I could do it, or you could hire someone… I was thinking maybe the Flyers logo…"

Booth was overwhelmed and decidedly "unmanly" tears rimmed his eyes. He was grateful to Angela for putting this together and incredibly touched that his wife had wanted all this for him.

Booth thought the mural was a great idea and he and Angela spent some time making tentative plans as Brennan and Hodgins looked on. They spent a little while longer in the "man room," before going back up to the main floor.

Angela was happy to show them the living and dining rooms and Brennan's office that still needed to be personalized. She had pretty much finished the kitchen and both Booth and Brennan loved what she'd done. Both of them were pretty good cooks and were imagining the meals they would cook, among other things, in the gourmet kitchen.

"Okay…" Angela said, noticing the smoldering looks the other couple was sharing. "On that note, I think it's time for Jack and I to get the heck out of Dodge."

Booth was leaning against the kitchen with his wife standing between his legs in front of him. She leaned against his back and he wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Thanks, Ange," he said. "For everything. I mean it. I know I was kind of an ass earlier… but we really appreciate everything you did."

"You're welcome, big guy," she answered. "And I understand why you two were disappointed. But I think you'll find that we left you the fun part."

"Yes," Brennan said, addressing her friend, but not leaving her husband's embrace. "Thank you, Angela… and you too, Jack."

"You're welcome," Jack replied. "I gotta tell ya, it was hard trying to keep her reined in. Angie's right, though. I think it's time we took off."

The friends said their goodbyes and Brennan and Booth walked Jack and Angela out. They stood in the doorway and watched them pull the van out of the driveway.

After Jack and Angela had gone, Booth and Brennan made their way upstairs. They checked in on the guest rooms which were beautifully appointed. Booth took a deep breath as they stood outside of Parker's room. His wife wrapped herself around his arm in a reassuring gesture as he reached in and flipped on the light.

"This is awesome, Bones," he said. "Parks is gonna love it."

The room was perfect for the pre-teen. The furniture was solid, made of a dark wood. The desk with matching built-in shelves lined one wall. There was a small plasma screen TV mounted above the chest of drawers opposite the bed. The room had been painted a shade of blue that would lend itself easily to a Phillies theme, but didn't necessitate such. Booth's first thought was that, like the rest of the house that he'd seen, it was showroom beautiful but it seemed to lack the warmth of "home."

That was when he noticed several boxes piled at the foot of the bed. They were each labeled "Parker's Room" in Angela's flowing handwriting. She hadn't opened any of the boxes, and Booth realized what that meant. He was looking forward to sharing Parker's excitement in setting up his room when he came to visit them over the weekend.

"I really liked this furniture," Brennan said quietly. "I thought it was something that would suit him as he grows into a teenager. The color is one that he likes, but we can let him choose his own bedding and decorations…"

"It's perfect, Bones," he said, pulling her to his side and leaning over to kiss her temple as he looked out into his son's room. He was already imagining all the great times they would have in this house. "Just like you."

"I'm far from perfect, Booth," she said. "But I appreciate the sentiment."

Smiling at her reaction and just how far they'd come, Booth turned out the light and led Brennan back out into the hallway. Before going into their room, they stopped at the room next door to it.

The room had been freshly painted in pale yellow above white wainscoting. The room was bare of furniture, but the couple was each imagining it arranged with a white crib and all that goes along with it. Standing in what would be their nursery one day, they couldn't help but be taken back to their conversation several days ago at the cottage in Martha's Vineyard.

"_I want to have a baby," Brennan said._

_Booth had to steel himself from physically reeling back in shock. _

"_Baby," he said, taking her hands in his. "Are you sure?"_

"_Yes," she said softly. "I've been thinking about it for a while now. Physically," she told him, "there is no reason I should have a problem conceiving…"_

"_Okay," he said, placing a soft kiss to her lips. "But I have to ask, what about emotionally?"_

"_I've discussed it with Dr. Delaney," she said, resting her forehead against his chest. "And she said she thinks I'm ready. In fact, she said that we can cut down my sessions to once a month unless I feel I need to see her."_

"_That's great, baby," he said, kissing her again._

"_So, what do you think?" she asked tentatively._

"_I think it sounds great," he said somewhat hesitantly. "You know there's nothing I want more than to have a baby with you. I'm looking forward to giving Parker siblings, and to filling that big house of ours with the happy family that neither of us had…"_

"…_but?"_

"_But," he said with a long sigh, "honestly, I don't know if now is the right time."_

"_What do you mean?" she asked._

"_Well," he said, drawing out the word. "We have so much going on… we're just getting used to living together, we're getting ready to move in to the new house, I'm still on suspension and we really don't know what's going to happen with my job…"_

"_What do you mean, we don't know what's going to happen? Of course we know what's going to happen. You're going to be reinstated to full duty and we'll get back to normal."_

_He laughed as he took a step back so he could look at her, while keeping their hands linked._

"_Whatever normal is for us, I guess," he said with a smile. "Look," he said, reaching out to stroke her cheek. "I love you, and I love the idea of you having our baby. Let's hold off, at least until I'm back to work…"_

"_I think that would be an acceptable compromise," she said. _

"_And just think of the fun we can have practicing," he added with a wink and a smile._

"Our baby is going to be very happy here," she said, wrapping her arms around his waist.

"It is a really happy room," he said. "I like the color."

"I thought it was both warm, and bright at the same time," she said. "And it's gender neutral so we could go ahead and set up a nursery even before we know the sex of the child."

"I think I'm going to really enjoy setting up a house with you, Mrs. Booth," he said with a smile, and what looked suspiciously like tears glistening in his eyes.

"I concur, Agent Booth," she answered, taking him by the hand and leading them into the room next door.

When they entered the master bedroom, Booth squeezed his wife's hand. The room was really gorgeous and a blend of both of their styles. The furniture they had picked out together, wanting their bed in their new home to be one that they had chosen as a couple. It was the bed that they would share as a married couple, the bed where they would build their family. They wanted it to be a bed that neither had shared with anyone else.

It was a four-poster with sleek lines and was made of a deep, dark teak. The walls were painted a soft mocha color and the carpet was a dark espresso . Brennan had chosen linens in shades of espresso and pale teal, but they were not on the bed. She knew she would find them on the shelves of the linen closet along with the towels in coffee tones that were purchased for the en-suite bathroom.

At the foot of the bed lay the boxes labeled, "Master Bedroom." Together, they began to open the boxes and find the perfect places for all of their things.

After a few hours, everything was in its place and the bed was made. Booth had taken the empty boxes down to the garage and when he returned, he stopped in the doorway, looking on as his wife stood in the middle of the room, taking it all in. It was a beautiful sight, and as they both looked around at the pictures hanging on the walls, the knickknacks on the shelves and other surfaces, their things mingled together the way they should be… for the first time, Booth actually felt at home. In this one room, they had created a sanctuary for the two of them and he knew that in the coming days, together they would create a haven in the rest of their home.


	26. The Next Step

**AN- Thanks so much for your amazing support of this story! Keep reviewing… I love to hear from you.**

**Based on the comments on the last chapter, I've got a couple of things I'd like to address: first, yes… I do realize that the blue of Parker's room would in fact, NOT lend itself to a Flyers theme. That was an oversight that I don't normally make and it's been corrected (Go, Phils! ;-) ) Thanks for pointing it out. **

**I was surprised by all the feedback regarding the gaming tables…. A lot of thought went in to this, and I stand by my choice. I think that there are levels of addictive behavior… For example, Booth, as the child of an alcoholic who has addiction issues of his own, probably shouldn't drink—but he does. Being in Las Vegas casinos didn't freak him out. Following this line of thinking, I don't see it being a problem to give him a perfectly appointed "man room." Just because he has tables in his house doesn't mean he's going to turn into some out-of-control degenerate gambler. I don't see him making Parker plop down his allowance in order to shoot a game of pool. So, I hope you understand where I'm coming from- but in any case, I still stand by the decision.**

**On with this week's chapter- your reviews will be considered and appreciated! :-) **

Chapter 26

The Next Step

Tuesday morning found Booth and Brennan getting a leisurely start to the day. Since only one of them had to rush off to work, it seemed that the morning routine was a bit less hectic. While Brennan took her time showering and dressing, Booth went downstairs to make breakfast for her. He busied himself about, thoroughly enjoying the size of the gourmet kitchen. The pantry was about the size of the kitchen in his old apartment. He began thinking about what it would be like to prepare holiday dinners here for his family, and made a mental note to talk to his wife about them hosting a dinner for everyone this year.

"Something smells great," she said, walking in to the kitchen and going straight for the coffee pot.

"Scrambled tofu and fakin' bacon for you, eggs and the real thing for me," he said, leaning over for a quick kiss as she walked past.

"I can't believe Angela actually stocked the groceries," she said, sitting down on a counter stool as he set a plate in front of her.

"She definitely doesn't do anything halfway," he said, sitting down next to her with his own plate.

"What are you going to do today?" she asked, hoping to sound casual.

He smiled, knowing she was worried about setting him off with the question.

"I thought I'd go downstairs and start unpacking some of my sports stuff. I can set up the basement by myself, but most of the other stuff I figure we're gonna want to do together," he said.

"We can do a room or two each evening," she offered.

"And then finish up this weekend when Parker's here," he agreed. "Sounds like a plan. I've also got an appointment with Benson this afternoon."

"Do you want to meet for lunch?" she asked, sipping her coffee.

"Sounds great," he said. "But let's not meet. I want to pick you up."

"Are you sure?" she asked.

"Yep," he answered just as he filled his mouth with a forkful of eggs.

**BnBnBnBnBnB**

"Damn, Seeley," Jared said, following his brother down the stairs. "This is awesome. Maybe I need to dump Padme and get a rich wife."

"Not funny," Booth replied sternly.

"Nah, I'm just givin' you hell," Jared said. "You know I adore Tempe, and I don't think you're a kept man."

"Shut up," Booth said, as his brother laughed.

"Seriously, Seel. This place is great." He nodded toward the blank wall behind the bar. "What are you gonna do over there?" 

"Angela's gonna paint a mural for me," he said, smiling and his eyes sparkling with mischief. "The Steelers logo."

"Asshole."

Booth laughed out loud.

"I'm kidding, it's gonna be the Flyers logo," Booth said. "You know hockey's my game. And baseball. I'm not really a huge football fan, and I mostly just do the Steelers thing to piss you off."

"It works," Jared said. "You're from Philly, you should be an Eagles fan. End of story."

"All right, all right," Booth said, laughing. "Grab that box over there. I think that one has DVDs and video games. They'll go in the recessed shelving around the TV. I'm gonna start on the sports stuff…"

"You're buying me lunch for this, right?"

"Actually, I'm having lunch with my wife before I go to meet with my shrink," he said. "But why don't you and Padme come out for dinner on Sunday? Parks is gonna be here this weekend. It will be fun."

"Sounds good," Jared said. He walked over to the stereo and turned on the satellite radio on to the 90s station.

"Do we really have to listen to that crap?"

"Yes," Jared said. "You dragged me out here first thing in the morning to help you unload your boxes and you're not even gonna give me lunch, so yeah… we're listening to my music."

**BnBnBnBnBnB**

Booth felt a slight skip in his step as he entered the Jeffersonian. His heart rate seemed to speed up a bit as he got closer to the doors leading to the Medico-Legal lab. He was happy to be taking his wife to lunch, and he was looking forward to the day when he'd be coming in with a case file in hand.

He waved a hello toward the squints on the platform as he made his way to Bones' office. When he reached the open door, he found her intent on whatever she was reading on her laptop. He stood for a moment and watched her… he found her earnest dedication to her work- to their work- to be quite heartwarming. He rapped lightly on the doorframe as he walked in to the room.

"Hi," she said, looking up.

"Hi," he answered.

"How was your morning?" she asked, looking back at the computer.

"Good," he answered. He walked around behind her desk and leaned against it. "Jared and I unpacked all the boxes in the basement."

"Was he sufficiently jealous?" she asked, looking with a sly smile.

"He was," Booth replied, nodding as a wide grin spread across his face. "You ready to go?"

"Almost," she answered. "Just let me finish this up. Are we going to the diner?"

"Up to you," he said. "I was thinking either there or Sid's place."

"Oh," she said, "Let's go to Wong Fu's. We haven't been there in a while."

"That works for me. What are you working on?"

"An authentication for the Alaska Museum of Natural History," she answered. "Their research team has unearthed a rather significant find which may turn out to be an as yet undiscovered Native American tribe."

"Wow," he replied, genuinely interested. "That's really cool. Are you going to have to go up there?"

"They're sending most of what I need here," she answered. "But I would like the chance to examine the dig site myself."

"You should," he said, surprising himself.

"Really?" she replied, looking up. "You wouldn't mind?"

"Of course not," he said, reaching out to take her hand. "But are you ready to go back to a dig site so soon?"

"I think so," she told him. "And if I did go, it would only be for a few days. Perhaps you could go with me?"

"That's probably do-able," he said, happy she'd suggested it.

They both laughed as his stomach rumbled.

"It sounds like we need to get you fed," she said, closing down her computer.

"Yep, let's get going," he said. "I'm starving and I have to meet with Benson when we're finished."

"You're hardly starving, Booth," she told him as she stood up and he followed her out of the office. "You ate a rather hardy breakfast this morning, and I'm sure you've had something else since then. You would have to be deprived of nourishment for several weeks to consider yourself starving…"

"I wasn't being literal, babe," he said, following her with his hand on the small of her back. "I know I'm not gonna starve. But I am hungry and you know how I get when I'm hungry." 

"You do tend to get quite cranky," she said. "And it probably wouldn't be a good idea to arrive at your session with Dr. Benson with that attitude…"

"You're right," he said, smiling. "So let's go feed me, Bones."

**BnBnBnBnBnB**

Booth sat on a stool in Benson's workshop. Today's project was rebuilding the transmission.

"How was the trip to the beach?" Benson asked,

"Great," Booth answered, picking up the torque converter.

"You're talkative today," Benson said with out looking up from the gear box in his hand.

"Yeah, sorry," his patient answered. "I guess I just don't know where to start. I know you want to know about what we talked about… but it just feels like that was such a personal moment with my wife… I don't really feel comfortable sharing."

"I get that," Benson said. "And it's a natural reaction. Can you at least tell me which option you chose?"

"Both, actually," Booth admitted.

Benson smiled as if this was the answer he'd hoped for.

"Oh?" he said casually, his focus seeming to be on the mechanism he held in his hands.

"Yeah, I started out with a story about my childhood," he said. "And it actually felt pretty good to tell her… I mean, it didn't feel good to remember… but I've never told anyone about that day before. My brother and I have never even talked about it."

"So it helped," Benson said, "opening up to Temperance?"

Booth sighed and smiled.

"Yeah, it did. But you knew that it would."

Benson laughed.

"Yes, I did. Look Seeley," he said. "What we're doing here… it isn't exactly traditional therapy. You already have a psychologist, that's not why you came here. Yeah, sure, I've got the credentials and the diplomas on the wall… but you came to me because I've been there. I've been where you are and I know how to help you out of it… no bullshit and no clinical mumbo jumbo…"

"I appreciate that," Booth said with a smile.

"I know," Benson replied. "So, what we're doing is finding you and outlet and teaching you to use it…"

"But that's not gonna be my wife," Booth said, interrupting. "I don't want to take anything out on her."

"You're not taking it out, Seeley," Benson said. "You're letting it out. There's a difference. You bottle things up inside and they fester and grow until you build up this raging monster that becomes your temper. By sharing things with someone that you trust, like your wife, you let it out a little at a time and it doesn't get the chance to build up and create that pressure. Bottom line is that you have to understand that you're not alone. Whether it's Temperance, or Hank, or your brother… your other friends… even me, you always have someone you can turn to. Now, I know you've found these things too painful to talk about in the past and that is why your wife is probably going to be the best person for you to share with…"

"…and that's what the assignment this weekend was all about. By telling Bones about what my dad did, I was able to let go of it a little. And it made me want to open up to her about my fears for her and the loss of the baby, too."

"Exactly," Benson said. "And how did that go?"

"Really well, actually. We got through everything, there was a lot of guilt being unnecessarily held on to. I think we were able to move past that. She actually told me she's ready to try again."

"And how do you feel about that?"

"I think it's great. I'd love to have a baby with her, but I think we have some other stuff to deal with first. We just moved in to our new house, and I'd like to get through this phase of therapy and my suspension. I want to be back at work and know where I stand before we start adding to our family."

"I think that's a wise decision. How did Temperance react when you told her?"

"How do you know I told her?"

"Because you want this to work," Benson replied.

"She agreed to wait until I get back to work," he said. "And that's only another couple of weeks, if you and Sweets agree to let me go back."

"I don't see that being an issue," the psychologist replied. "I think you're right on track."


	27. Christening

**AN- Sorry I haven't updated in a while… it was a hectic holiday week! I hope those of you who celebrate had a lovely Thanksgiving with your friends and family. I'm thankful for the friends I've made in the Bones community and for everyone who takes time to read what I'm putting out here! **

**Writing fanfiction is really a labor of love since we getting nothing from it, except for a bit of personal satisfaction if we're lucky. :-) So, we really do rely on you- the reader- to let us know how it's going. I know that your reviews mean the world to me… and sometimes end up influencing the story! So, by all means, please let me know what you're thinking!**

**Oh, and as for the beginning of the chapter? I don't write "smut," and I'm not sure where the line is between T and M. There is no real description, but much allusion- I hope it falls within the right rating. **

Chapter 27

Christening

Booth and his bride fell together in a sweaty heap on the living room sofa. He reached up for the throw blanket she kept across the back of the piece of furniture and used it to cover their naked bodies.

"That was amazing," Brennan said, clinging to him as she caught her breath.

"I'll say," Booth agreed, laughing as he pushed her bangs from her eyes. "And that concludes our christening."

He couldn't wipe the smile from his face as he thought about how enthusiastically Bones had responded once he'd explained to her what he'd meant by "christening" their new home. Over the last week, they'd celebrated the completion of each room by creatively making love in it.

They'd started with the rooms Angela had completed, and enjoyed hard and fast, but loving, go-rounds up against the wall in each of the guest rooms. The huge marble island in the kitchen found itself to be more than accommodating, and each of the showers throughout the huge house had to be "tested," of course. Oh, and he'd never be able to look at the dining room table the same way again.

Booth remembered quite fondly the way they'd spent Tuesday night in his man room, even though he hadn't enjoyed his ass being stuck to the leather sofa. He smiled, remembering how Bones had found it to be hilarious.

"Not quite," she replied.

"Not quite, what?" he answered.

"We haven't finished christening the house," she answered, matter-of-fact.

She watched as Booth did a mental inventory of the rooms in the house and their activities in each one, wondering if he was remembering fulfilling that age-old washing machine fantasy.

"Baby, we said that Parker's room and the nursery were off limits," he said.

"I know," she answered, "but there is one more room we haven't gotten to yet."

She waited for a minute to see if he would follow her line of thinking before she continued.

"The garage," she said, leaning in for a long, deep and slow kiss.

When they came up for air, he noticed the glint in her eye before she leaned in to whisper huskily in his ear.

"The back seat of your GTO seems awfully roomy…"

**BnBnBnBnBnB**

"This is so awesome, Dad," Parker said as they pulled into the driveway. "I can't believe this is our house."

"Believe it, buddy," Booth replied. "You're going to love the pool."

"We have a pool?" Parker asked, wide-eyed.

"Yep, and I figured we'd cook out tomorrow and just spend the whole day out by the pool," his dad said.

"Tomorrow?" Parker asked, disappointment sounding in his voice. "Why not tonight?"

"Because tonight, we'll probably be eating at the mall," Booth replied.

"The mall? Why?"

"Geez, you're full of questions," Booth said, getting out of the car. "Grab your gear and let's get inside. Bones can fill you in on the plans for tonight."

Brennan was standing in the front doorway waiting for them as they came up the walk.

"Bones!" Parker exclaimed, dropping his bag and running up to hug her. "I've missed you! I didn't think you'd be home yet."

"I've missed you, too, Parker," she said. "I'm really glad you're here. Since you were coming, we all decided to take a half day," she told him. "We don't have a case that we're working on right now, so I got to come home early to welcome you home."

"That's awesome!"

They walked in the foyer and Parker just looked up in awe at the chandelier hanging from the cathedral ceiling.

"This place is almost as big as Jack and Angela's," he said.

"Not quite, Bub," Booth said, grimacing at the thought.

Booth and Brennan showed Parker around the main floor and he 'oohed and ahhed' over the entire place. They ended up at the bottom of the stairs where Booth had set down Parker's bag that he'd brought in from the sidewalk.

"Can I see my room?"

"Of course," Brennan answered, nodding to Booth who had picked up his son's bag. "Your dad and I finished unpacking and decorating the rooms just last night," she said. "It worked our really well that you had a half-day from school today. We thought we might go shopping for the things you'll still need for your room."

**BnBnBnBnBnB**

Parker loved his room and had told them he couldn't wait to bring some of the things from his room at his mom's to leave there. The three of them spent the afternoon emptying the boxes that had been brought from Parker's room at their apartment.

When they were almost finished, Brennan thought the boys might like some alone time, so she excused herself to go down and make them a snack.

"Bones is the best, Dad," Parker said when she had left the room.

"Yes, she is," Booth replied.

"I'm really glad that you married her," Parker said, setting one of his hockey trophies up on the shelf. "I have to tell you that I wasn't really happy about moving," he went on. "I mean, when we moved in to Bones' apartment, we finally had a pool! But this place is so much better! We have our very own pool… and the park is right next door… but the back yard is like a park, we don't even have to go to the park… and the house is really cool…"

"I'm glad you like it," Booth said, interrupting.

"But the best part is that you and Bones are here together," Parker said, with an earnestness that only a ten-year-old could. "I kinda like having two moms."

"I'm glad, buddy," Booth said, pulling his son to his side. "And I'm really sorry that Bones and I had to get married without you being there. I really did want to talk to you about it first."

"I know, Dad," Parker said. "It's okay."

"Come on," Booth said as the last of the boxes was emptied. "Let's take these boxes down to the garage and I'll show you the best part of the house."

"There's more?" Parker asked.

"Oh yeah," Booth replied with child-like enthusiasm. "And you're not gonna believe it!"

**BnBnBnBnBnB**

"Holy crap, Dad!" Parker said, looking around the "man room."

"Parker!" Booth chastised. "Language."

"Sorry," Parker replied, with just the right amount of contrition. "But seriously, Dad. This has to be the coolest place on earth."

He looked over toward the bar and the mural that Angela had just finished the morning prior. She had talked Cam into letting her take half-days while they didn't have a case. She'd been painting in the mornings and going in to the Jeffersonian in the afternoons.

"I know," Booth agreed. "I think it is, too. So, maybe tonight when we finish up shopping for your room, we can rent a couple of movies and treat Bones to a Booth Boys movie night."

"That would be cool," Parker said.

"I invited Uncle Jared and Aunt Padme over for dinner on Sunday. Maybe we'll tell them to come right after church. The Phillies have an afternoon game and we can watch it together."

**BnBnBnBnBnB**

After a trip to the mall, dinner at the diner and a viewing of_ Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone_ (from which Bones had actually refrained from commenting on the lack of reality), Parker was tired out and tucked safely into his new bed.

Booth had gone to help him settle in and the two had spent a while talking before Parker said his prayers and settled in to bed.

When he left his son's room, Booth felt that the house seemed silent. He made his way down the hall to his own bedroom and found his wife sitting up in bed, wearing one of his t-shirts and reading a forensic journal

"Parker all settled in?" she asked as he opened the door.

"Snug as a bug," Booth said with a smile. "I'm just gonna go lock up and I'll be right in."

"I'll be here," she said with a matching smile.

Booth closed the door behind him and went down the hallway. He looked in to Parker's room, although he'd just left him a few minutes before. He was sleeping soundly and sprawled out in the queen sized bed.

Booth chuckled quietly the sight as he made his way down the stairs. He checked the locks on the French doors that led out to the pool, the door to the garage and the front door before setting the alarm system. Once he was sure his family was safe and secure, he went back up the stairs to his bedroom.

Brennan had put away her journal and turned out the light on her side of the bed. His side was turned down and waiting for him to join her. He quickly stripped down to his boxers and climbed in next to her.

Immediately she snuggled up next to him, resting her head against his shoulder and wrapping her arm around his waist.

"Today was a great day," he said.

"Yes, it was," she agreed. "Is Parker really happy with his new room?"

"Are you kidding?" Booth asked. "Baby, he's over the moon. I don't think you could have done anything better. And he really liked going shopping this afternoon. I don't think Rebecca's ever let him pick out his own stuff, and at my place he still had the stuff from when he was little. You made him feel like a grown-up, he appreciates the respect you give him," he said, kissing the top of her head. "And so do I. Sometimes I forget that he's growing up. I still treat him like a little kid."

"He is a little kid," she offered.

"Maybe," he replied with a smile. "But to a ten-year-old, gaining his independence is really important. You've always treated him with respect and never looked down on him or talked down to him. Believe me, he notices that. That's one reason why you're one of his favorite people."

"I am?" she asked, wide-eyed as she pushed off his chest to look him in the eye.

"Of course," he said. "You always have been. But tonight, he told me he was glad that we got married and that he likes having two moms."

"He said that?" she asked, still in awe.

Booth nodded.

"Yep," he said, leaning down to kiss her lips. "My kid loves you, Bones. But not as much as I do."

She smiled at the sentiment.

"Do you still want to wait until you go back to work to try to have a baby?" she asked.

"Yeah," he answered, pulling her close. "I think it's for the best. But that doesn't mean we can't practice," he added with a wink and a raise of his eyebrows.

**BnBnBnBnBnB**

Saturday went by in a blur.

The boys spent the whole day in the pool while Brennan used the time to get some of the things on her to-do list done. She got up with them in the morning and they all had breakfast before hitting the pool. After a couple of hours, she excused herself to her office.

She spent the time until lunch working on her novel. She finished two chapters, and couldn't believe that Booth and Parker were still going strong out in the back yard. She stood in the bay window of the breakfast nook watching them play basketball with the floating hoop that Booth insisted they had to have. They were obviously having a great time.

She went back into the kitchen and made them some sandwiches. She cut up some fruit and poured them each a glass of milk. She considered calling them in for lunch, but then reconsidered when she had a flash of puddles of pool water on the kitchen floor.

She loaded everything on to a tray and took it out to the table on the deck.

They all enjoyed lunch together while Parker regaled Brennan with tales of what they'd done all day and how he'd clobbered his Dad at water basketball.

The boys convinced her to put her suit back on and join them, and the three of them played together for a few more hours. This time, it was Booth's turn to get out and leave Brennan to play with Parker.

He dried off and went to the kitchen to get the things he'd need to prepare their dinner out on the grill. When he came back out and spread everything out on the prep table next to the barbeque, he stood for a moment watching his family.

He was in awe of the way that Bones and Parker interacted with one another. It was a sight to behold and he loved seeing it. He sat back for a few minutes and watched them playing Marco Polo before turning his attention back to the meal.

**BnBnBnBnBnB**

Sunday morning found the family sitting together at Mass. Since their return home, Brennan had begun accompanying her husband to the service. Although she still didn't believe as he did in a higher power, she was fascinated by the rituals and symbolism of the service and of the religion itself. She had begun studying the rites of Catholicism in her spare time, but hadn't mentioned it to Booth. She felt that if this was something that important to her husband, then it was something she should do to support him.

Booth sat on the aisle, with Parker seated between him and Brennan. Padme sat on the other side of her with Jared seated next to her at the other end of the small pew.

Feeling guilty, but unable to stop himself, Booth only halfway listened to the homily as he reveled in the fact that his whole family was sitting with him in church. Most of the time, he'd go to Mass alone, unless Parker was with him. It was a pleasant surprise to him that Bones had insisted on accompanying him after their return home. He'd been a bit leery at first, but she'd been nothing but respectful and attentive in the weeks that they'd been attending services together.

More recently, Jared and Padme had been joining them as well. It wasn't every Sunday, but more often than he knew Jared had attended in years. Yep, this was a proud moment for the Booth family and he found himself wishing Pops were here to share in it.

After Mass they headed back to Booth and Brennan's house. Jared and Padme had brought a change of clothes so that they didn't have to go back home across town before going out to the house.

Once everyone was dressed in their comfy clothes, they ordered pizza and went down to the basement.

While the boys enjoyed watching the Phillies beat the Red Sox while Brennan and Padme played a game of Scrabble at the card table.

Once again, Booth found himself looking around at his family… he couldn't believe how lucky he truly was.

"We're gonna have to get goin', Seel," Jared said a while after the game was over. "Padme has to be at school early in the morning for teacher evaluations."

"Yeah," Booth said as the group made their way to the front door. "It's about time to get Parks back to his mom's, too."

"This has been really fun," Padme said. "We should do it more often."

"We really should," Brennan said warmly as she walked up and wrapped her arms around her husband's waist.

Booth, Brennan and Parker waved goodbye from the doorway as Jared and Padme pulled out of the driveway.

"Today was awesome, Dad," Parker said. "Thanks, Bones."

"You're welcome, Parker," Brennan replied.

"I wish I didn't have to go home," Parker said, pouting.

"I know, Bub," Booth agreed. "Me, too. But that's life, right? We all have to do things we don't want to. And your mom would really miss you if you weren't there."

"I guess," Parker said.

"Go get your stuff together," his dad told him.

"Okay," Parker said, scampering off to his room.

"Dad?" he called from the top of the stairs.

"What is it Parker?" Booth asked, knowing the boy was just trying to stall.

"Do you think maybe I could stay with you and Bones more often?"

He wasn't expecting that. This was a face-to-face conversation. He looked hesitantly to Bones, who encouraged him to go to his son. Smiling at her, he turned to go upstairs. He took the stairs two-at-a-time and went in to Parker's room.

"What was that?" he asked, sitting on the bed while Parker finished packing his bag.

"I just wondered if I could come and stay with you more often," Parker repeated. "My friend Sam's parents are divorced and he lives with his dad for a week and then with his mom for a week. I think that would be better than just seeing you guys every other weekend."

"Yeah, buddy," Booth agreed, "it would. I don't know if that's possible. But it's definitely something we can think about. I know that Bones and I would love it. But your mom has to agree. She's pretty used to having you around all the time… we'll have to see. But I promise we'll talk about it, okay?"

"Thanks, Dad!" Parker said, throwing his arms around Booth's neck. "You're the best!"


	28. You Wanna Fight?

**AN- For once, I don't have a lot to say. ;-) Thanks for your reviews on the last chapter! Keep 'em coming!**

Chapter 28

You Wanna Fight?

"Come on, Bren. Spill."

Angela was practically whining, and Brennan just rolled her eyes.

"Did you really christen every room in the house? I'll bet it was super-sticky and super-hot. You've _got_ to give me details."

"Angela," Brennan said, sitting down behind her desk as her friend continued to pace the office. "You already know we have an amazing sex life. And if I want to continue having an amazing sex life, I'm not going to alienate my husband by sharing the details with you," she said. Her voice was stern, but there was a twinkle in her eye. "No matter how sticky it might be," she added with a smile.

"Party pooper," Angela said, plopping down on the sofa.

"Why are you so interested in my sex life, anyway? You have one of your own. Isn't Hodgins," she paused, as if searching for a word. "What did you say? A thrill a minute?"

"Yeah," Angela replied with a satisfied smile. "He is. You know what they say about great things coming in small packages…"

Brennan smiled and shook her head before turning her attention to the file on her computer.

"I don't know," Angela mused. "I guess I don't want things to change now that we're old, married women."

"Speak for yourself," Brennan said, laughing. "I am _not_ old. And irrationally, I'm finding that marriage is one of the better decisions I've ever made."

"Where_ is_ Special Agent Studmuffin, anyway?" Angela said. "Shouldn't he have been here to drag you off to lunch by now?"

"He's having lunch with Rebecca," Brennan replied. "They're discussing the possibility of us having more visitation with Parker."

**BnBnBnBnBnBnB**

"It was totally his idea," he said. "We never even talked about it. He was packing his bag to come back to your place and he asked me if he could stay with us more…"

She just stared at him.

"Then he said that his friend Sam's parents were divorced and Sam lives one week with his mom and one week with his dad. He asked if we could do something like that."

Booth looked across the table at the silent woman before him. He could tell she was seething and he knew what would come next wouldn't be good.

"Nice job," she said, snidely. "Asking me to meet you at the diner. I bet you thought I wouldn't make a scene in a public place, or maybe you just didn't want me in your perfect house…"

He winced. It was worse than he thought, and she was just gearing up.

"…this is so unfair, Seeley," Rebecca said. "Of course Parker's going to want to spend more time with you…in your big, fancy house with the pool and freaking home theatre… He's ten for god's sake!"

Before Booth could say anything, she went on.

"I can't compete with that! No. I'm not going to let you do it. You don't get to _buy_ my son."

That was it. He'd heard enough.

"_Buy your_ son?" he repeated through gritted teeth, his voice low and menacing. "Nobody's trying to buy anybody," he said, only slightly more calmly. "I just want to spend more time with _my_ son!"

"I think every other weekend is more than enough," she said. "We have things going on, family things. Brent has plans… "

"Oh, Brent has plans now," he snorted. "Nice, Rebecca. Look, I never said anything when Brent started spending more time with Parker than I do, and I never interfered when you said you wanted to get married… but Brent is not his father!"

"And Temperance isn't his mother," she spat back at him. "No, Seeley," she said firmly. "I've made up my mind. I don't have to let you see him at all, you know…"

"Enough with the bullshit, Rebecca," he said, not caring that they were in a public place. "I'm not some green recruit who doesn't know any better and is afraid he won't get to see his son. I'm a Senior Supervisory Special Agent with the F-B-I. I know a little something about the law these days. You and I both know that the whole I-don't-have-rights-because-we-were-never-married thing is a load of bull. He's my son, and I have rights. Don't make me fight you, Becs," he warned. "Because I _will_ win."

**BnBnBnBnBnB**

"I can't believe her," Booth said, pacing the kitchen. "I'm not gonna let her do this. No, this time we're getting a lawyer and I'm getting a legally binding contract that she can't break. She doesn't get to play her little games this time."

"While I agree that you should have a legal agreement," Brennan said, watching him from her place, leaning up against the island. "I don't know that we should instigate a full-out custody battle after one conversation…"

"It's not one conversation, Bones," he said, rubbing his hand against the back of his neck.

She could hear the emotional exhaustion in his voice.

"It's ten years of conversations, and I'm tired," he went on. "I'm tired of always coming out on the losing end. She always has some kind of excuse… my job is too dangerous… I'm not stable enough… I'm not settled down…."

"Well," she said, walking over to him and placing her hand on his forearm. "Your job is still dangerous, but I like to think those other things are no longer factors."

He reached out to wrap his arms around her waist and pull her to him.

"No," he said tenderly. "They're not. Thank God."

He held her close and kissed the top of her head.

"I am so lucky to have you in my life, Bones."

"That's a two lane highway," she said, knowing that he couldn't see the grin on her face.

"Two-way street, baby," he said. "That's a two-way street."

She smiled. She loved when he corrected her on pop culture and idioms. It had become their "thing" a long time ago. She wondered if he'd ever figure out that she wasn't as clueless as she seemed and that most of the time, she messed up common phrases on purpose.

"Our marriage and moving in to this house was a big change for Rebecca to accept," she offered. "Maybe she's just trying to find her footing. Let's give her a few days."

"I don't know, babe," he said, rubbing her back. "When she gets like this, she likes to play little games to get what she wants. Sometimes she's sweet, and sometimes she's nasty… sometimes she tries to distract me…"

"What happened the last time you tried to talk to her about extended visitation?"

"We ended up in bed," he said, wincing.

"Well, at least we know that's not going to happen this time," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm as she squeezed him tightly. "I still think it's a good idea to wait a few days. Let her cool off, and we'll try again. Maybe we should talk to her together…or maybe I should try to talk to her…"

"Bones," he said, pulling back to look her in the eye. "I'm really proud of how big you're being about this. But I know Rebecca, and she's not going to give in. She's going to be petty. I can tell. I know we're gonna have to fight, and I'm afraid it's gonna get nasty."

**BnBnBnBnBnB**

"How did your lunch go?" he asked, sitting next to his wife.

"Just great," she said with a sigh.

"That good, huh?" he replied.

"I feel like I'm losing my baby, Brent," she replied.

"Oh baby," Brent replied, taking her in his arms. "You're not losing anybody."

"That's not what it feels like," Rebecca said quietly. "It's just not fair."

"I know," he said, stroking her hair. "Tell me what happened."

"Seeley said Parker wants to spend more time with him and _Bones_," she said with a roll of her eyes. "Ever since he was three years old, it's been Bones this and Bones that…"

"I thought you liked Temperance," Brent said. "You always said how good she is for Seeley."

"I know," Rebecca replied flatly. "And she's been good for Parker, too. But why'd he have to go and marry her?"

"That's not exactly fair, is it?" he asked, trying to hide a grin. "He was happy for us when we got married, wasn't he?"

"Yes," she answered begrudgingly.

He was having greater difficulty in hiding his smile the more she pouted.

"I want Parker to be happy," she said. "But does he really want to live with Seeley, or does he want to live in a mansion with a pool?"

"He's ten," Brent said, letting his smile shine through. "It's probably a little of both."

He laughed a little as she glared at him.

"I'm hearing two things here, babe," he said. "Did Seeley say Parker wanted to spend more time with them or that he wanted to live with them?"

"That he wants to spend more time with them," she said, realizing where he was going. "But it's the same thing."

"No, it's not, honey," he said patiently. "Every other weekend isn't really much, and Parker is at an age where he's going to want to spend more time with his dad. He's growing up and he needs that paternal influence…"

"But he's got you," she said.

"Yes, and he always will, but I'm not his dad. I don't see why we can't meet them halfway and loosen up the visitation a little," he said.

"It might not be that easy," she said, biting her bottom lip as she looked up at him.

"Why not?" he asked warily.

"Because Seeley pushes my buttons," she said. "He pissed me off, and I dug my heels in. I told him 'No,' that we weren't going to change anything. I basically told him that if he pushed, I wouldn't let him see Parker at all."

"Oh, Becs," her husband said with a sigh. He loved that his wife was a little firecracker, but her volatile nature got them into trouble more than once. "What happened?"

"He warned me that I didn't want a fight," she said.

"Smart man," Brent replied.

"Then he said that if there _was_ a fight, he would win."

**BnBnBnBnBnB**

"Seeley," Donovan Benson said, looking up from the engine block he was leaning over. "It's good to see you, but you don't have an appointment."

"No," Booth answered. "I don't. But I do need to talk to you. Do you have a few minutes?"

"Yeah," Benson said. "I've got time. Toss me that wrench."

Booth handed him the tool, but didn't say anything.

"What's on your mind?" Benson asked.

"How do you think I would fare in a custody battle?" Booth asked.

"You're gonna need to give me a little more than that to go on," the therapist said.

"I had lunch with my ex yesterday," Booth replied with a sigh. "I wanted to talk to her about extending my visitation with Parker."

"I take it it didn't go well."

"You could say that."

"What brought on the conversation?"

"We had a really great weekend," Booth said. "One of the best. It started out with showing Parker the new house. We took him shopping to buy the rest of the stuff he'd need for his room. We spent the day out by the pool on Saturday and we had an honest-to-goodness family Sunday. We all went to church with my brother and his wife and then they came out and to the house. When it was time to take Parker back to Rebecca's, he asked if he could spend more time with us."

Benson laughed.

"What?"

"Well, let's see," Benson said, still chuckling. "He's what? Ten?"

Booth nodded.

"He spends the weekend with you in your fancy new house, you spend a whole day at the pool and then a day in your own personal sports bar… why in the world wouldn't he want to spend more time with you? Life at your house is a vacation."

"Yeah, I guess so," Booth replied with a smile. "He's got chores and homework, too."

"So what happened with his mother?"

"She said absolutely not. She's decided every other weekend is enough. She likes to pull this crap that since we were never married I don't have any rights. She says she doesn't have to let me see him."

"And you've never fought her on that?"

"No, when we he was first born, I was a green agent fresh out of Quantico. She was just out of law school. I didn't know any better and I didn't want to risk making waves. My name is on his birth certificate, and I've been paying child support for ten years. We all know that if I pushed for legal rights, I'd get them."

"So, why are you here?"

"I need to know if you think I'd do okay if we went to court and it got ugly. Could I handle it? Would this cause a problem with me going back to work?"

"What does Temperance say?"

"She says she loves Parker as much as if he were ours, and she wants whatever we want."

"Seeley, I think you've made great strides. I think you're ready to go back to work, full duty. I think you could handle a custody fight without losing it. But I also don't think that's what you want. I think you should probably try to sit down and talk to your ex again. She's married now, right?"

Booth nodded his head.

"It might be a good idea for her husband and Temperance to be there, too. The four of you should talk it out and then bring Parker in talk to him about what he really wants."

"Thanks," Booth said, reaching out to shake the other man's hand.

"You're welcome," he answered. "Now, we need to schedule an appointment for you to bring that lovely wife of yours for a joint session."

"I think she's looking forward to it," Booth said with a smile.

"So am I," Benson replied. "You think she'd sign a book for me?"


	29. Veggie Night

**AN- I'm not going to make excuses… yes I am, LOL. Like one of my all time favorite TV characters, I am easily distracted by shiny objects. I got an iPod last weekend and I've been obsessed with the apps and games… bad, LJ.**

**So, sorry it's taken so long! To make up for it, this one is a little longer… lots of fluff and slice-o-life, but I think it moves the plot along a bit, too.**

**Thanks so much for your support and patience… and as always, please review! Your words mean a lot and totally keep me going.**

Chapter 29

Veggie Night

She looked up from the table when she heard someone approaching.

"Dr. Brennan," he said. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but could you look at something for me?"

"What is it, Dr. Edison?" she asked.

"The remains that Agent Russell brought in," he said. "There's an anomaly in the zygomatic process. I've been over it a dozen times. I'm certain that this anomaly is related to cause of death, but I just can't quite reach it. Will you take a look?"

"Certainly," she answered.

Clark waited for a moment and then offered to assist as she returned the remains she was working with into their cataloged box in modular bone storage. When they finished, she followed him out of the storage area and to the platform, her platform, where the remains lay from the lab's current FBI case.

It all felt strangely wrong somehow. This was her lab, her platform… but it wasn't her case. It wasn't Booth's case. It was at that moment that she realized just how different and difficult their new work arrangement was going to be.

She followed Clark onto the platform and began studying the bones. She gave the case her full attention, but in the back of her mind she was wondering how Booth's meeting was going.

When they got up that morning, he told her that he wanted to go see Benson to talk about everything that was happening with Parker and Rebecca. She'd agreed that it was a good idea and also suggested they schedule a meeting with their attorney.

**BnBnBnBnBnBnB**

"So, Benson says that we should sit down with Rebecca and Brent and try to work something out," Booth said, taking a bite of his cheeseburger.

"That's very logical," Brennan agreed, reaching for a fry.

"And then we should all talk to Parker together, to see what he really wants. I guess a lot of kids would play one parent or one set of parents against the other…"

"I don't think Parker would do something like that," she said.

"Neither do I, but I still think it's a good idea," he replied.

"Yes, I think that would be best," she agreed. "It will definitely diminish the possibility for misunderstandings."

"I thought maybe we could invite them over for dinner," he suggested.

"That would be nice," she said. "Maybe if they saw our house for themselves…"

"Oh wait," Booth said, "maybe that's not such a good idea. What if they think we're bragging or something? Becca's already pissed."

"Or maybe they'll see that Parker was exaggerating," she said. "It's just a house, Booth."

"Right," he said, but she could tell he wasn't convinced.

"What else did Dr. Benson have to say?"

"He's looking forward to our joint session," Booth said with a smile. "We need to schedule that, by the way."

She took out her iPhone and pulled up the calendar.

"Next week?" she asked.

"Yeah," he answered. "Or later this week, whenever you have time. He's pretty flexible," he added, smiling.

"What?" she asked, matching his grin with one of curiosity.

"He's a fan," he told her.

"Oh?"

"Yep," he answered, nodding as he took another bite of his burger. "Asked me if you'd sign a book for him."

"Of course," she said. "I'll see if Charlotte can get me an advanced copy of the new one."

"Advanced copy?" Booth asked, incredulous. "You never let me read them until they're released."

"No, I never let you read them until they're published," she corrected.

"Tomato, to-mah-to," he said. "I've never read one until it was in the bookstores."

"That's not my fault," she said. "I just never let you read an unfinished manuscript. I don't care if you see it once it's finalized."

"Nice of you to tell me," he said, pouting.

"Stop whining," she said, with a slight chuckle. "I'll get you a copy, too."

"Don't go to any trouble," he said. "I'm just your husband."

"You've never been _just_ anything, Seeley Joseph Booth."

"Thanks, Babe," he said, obviously happy with her stroking of his ego.

She glanced down at the phone.

"I need to get back to the lab," she said. "Agent Russell is coming by with some information."

"Russell?" he asked. "You're working an FBI case?"

She nodded, taking a bite of her salad.

"Dr. Edison needed assistance identifying an anomaly," she said. "And now Agent Russell wants to talk with both of us."

She looked at him.

"Are you all right with this?" she asked.

"What? With you working a case with Clark? Sure. Why wouldn't I be?"

"I don't know," she admitted. "But you have a strange look on your face."

"I guess I'm just thinking," he said. "Things are gonna be different when I get back to work. I'll be working with Clark."

"Yes," she said. "But I'll be there, too."

"Right."

**BnBnBnBnBnBnB**

"Rebecca and Brent are good with coming over for dinner tomorrow," Booth said as he pulled the SUV out into traffic. "Is that okay with you?"

"Of course," she said. "Thank you for picking me up."

"Anytime," he answered with a wink.

"We should probably stop at the market," she suggested. "That way we won't have to do it tomorrow."

"Good call," he said. "You want to stop by the Whole Foods at Tenley Circle?"

She smiled, not-so-secretly loving the fact that his immediate thought was Whole Foods. She would prefer the Yes! Organic Market on 14th, but she was happy that she could at least get him to Whole Foods.

"What should we serve for dinner?" she asked.

"I don't know," he said. "Technically, tomorrow is veggie night."

"I think we can waive that restriction for this week," she said, still smiling. She loved that he seemed to really take to her suggestion of eating vegetarian several nights per week. At first, she'd been surprised at what a good sport he'd been about it, and now it was simply part of their routine.

"No," Booth said. "If we're going to show Rebecca what life is like for Parks at our place, then we stick to the rules. It's veggie night, we eat veggie. But we could go easy on 'em," he said with a smile. "How 'bout Eggplant Parmesan?"

"That sounds good," she said. "And it isn't difficult to prepare, either."

They spent about forty-five minutes going through the store, picking up their regular items as well as the things they'd need for their guests. They walked through the deli section on their way to the checkouts.

"Why don't we just pick up something for us tonight?" Booth suggested. "We can just grab something already made so neither of us has to cook."

"I like that idea," she said, looking around. "What about sushi?"

**BnBnBnBnBnBnB**

They shared a light dinner of sushi and soup, along with some sake that Brennan brought back from her last trip to Japan.

"I'm going to call Larry Wilkinson in the morning," she said, casually over a sip from her water glass.

Not recognizing the name, he looked at her quizzically and she answered the unspoken question.

"Our lawyer," she said, smiling. "Larry has handled all kinds of negotiations for me over the years and he works in Family Court as well. He can give us some good advice on how to handle this situation with Parker."

He nodded.

"That's a good idea," he said.

"If he's not in court," she offered, "he'll make time to see us, I think. Do you have anything pressing tomorrow?"

"I don't think so," he said. "But do we really need to rush in to see him? I don't want Becca to think I'm doing something sneaky behind her back…"

"Booth," she said, sternly. "You have to stop walking on eggshells where Rebecca is concerned. You have rights when it comes to your son, and she knows it. In fact, she's an attorney, so she knows exactly where everyone stands. I think it's only right that you be equally as informed… before we sit down for this dinner tomorrow."

"You're right," he answered, smiling. "What would I ever do without you?"

"I don't know how you ever managed," she answered with a wry smile of her own.

"Good thing I'll never have to worry about that again, huh?"

Smiling, she just shook her head and took another bite of her shitake roll. She had never dared to imagine herself in such a domestic setting: sitting at home with her husband, enjoying sushi and sweet talk. Not for the first time, she found herself feeling very grateful that Seeley Booth had the tenacity of a bulldog and the heart of a lion.

**BnBnBnBnBnBnB**

Booth had just finished setting the table and Brennan was making the final preparations for their meal when the doorbell rang.

"They're here, Bones," Booth called out as he walked to the door.

"Hey, Dad!" Parker greeted as soon as the door was opened.

"Hey, Bub," Booth answered, ruffling his son's hair as the boy pushed past. Laughing, he looked up from the boy to his ex and her husband. "Becca," he said. "Brent, come in."

"Nice place, Seel," Rebecca said as she walked past him and into the house.

"It's just a house, Rebecca," Booth answered, his voice low. "Bones is in the kitchen. Parks, you wanna show your Mom and Brent your room?"

"Sure!" Parker replied. "Come on Mom!"

"You can put away the clothes that are on your bed while you're up there," Brennan said as she joined them in foyer.

"Yes, ma'am," Parker answered politely as he directed his mother and stepfather to follow him up the stairs.

"Good call, babe," Booth said quietly, pulling her close to his side.

"I finished the laundry this when we got home from work," she answered. "It's Parker's responsibility to put his clothes in their proper place. I simply thought that he could go ahead and do it while he's here instead of waiting until the weekend."

"Right," Booth said with a smile. "And it doesn't hurt to remind his mother that he has chores here, too."

"That might be an added benefit," she said with a smile. "I need to go back and check on dinner. You should pour some drinks."

"Yes ma'am," he said, affecting the same smile that Parker had given her. "I love you."

**BnBnBnBnBnBnB**

"This is my room," Parker said, showing the space to Rebecca and Brent. "That is my desk. Bones says that it's important to have a work space separate from where I play so that I can concentrate on my schoolwork. I have a TV in here, but I don't really use it. I watch the big one downstairs with Dad. The video games are down there, too."

Rebecca was taking in the room, and Brent leaned on the doorframe as they watched Parker putting his clothes away.

"Bones washes the clothes," he said, "but Dad and me have to put ours away…"

Rebecca wasn't really listening as Parker kept talking. She was looking around the room at all the things that made it her son's room. She could see that a lot of time and thought had been put into to space… and not just Parker's like and dislikes. She knew that Temperance and Seeley had really considered Parker's needs when putting the room together. She found herself welling up with tears when she thought about how grown-up the room seemed. It was just another reminder that her baby wasn't a baby anymore. She made a mental note to talk to Brent about re-doing Parker's room at home. She had a feeling he'd be outgrowing the superhero theme very soon.

"…and this Green Lantern bobblehead is just like the one Bones got Dad for his office…"

_Well, maybe not too soon_, she thought with a smile.

"This is really great Bub," she said. "But if you've finished putting the clothes away, maybe we should go back down and join your dad and Temperance. It's probably pretty close to dinner time."

"Okay," Parker said, turning off the light as he followed the adults out of the room.

He stopped when the reached the bottom of the stairs.

"Mom, what is today?" he asked.

"It's Wednesday," she answered as Parker led them toward the dining room.

"That means it's veggie day," he said as they entered the room.

Booth smiled as he heard the conversation.

"Veggie day?" Rebecca asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yep," Parker replied. "Bones is a vegetarian, so two days a week Daddy doesn't eat meat either. If I'm here I don't either. On regular days, she makes something different for her than me and Dad but on veggie days, we all eat her way."

"You feed him vegetarian?" Rebecca asked Booth skeptically.

Booth nodded, with a smile and shrug of his shoulders.

"I remember when you wouldn't give him anything that wasn't fried or microwavable," she noted.

"I wasn't that bad, Becca," he replied, rolling his eyes.

He showed their guests to their seats and offered drinks.

"And Parks is right," he said. "It is veggie night. Bones offered to make something else, but I told her we should stick to the rules."

"It's fine, Seeley," Brent said, speaking up for the first time. "And for what it's worth, I agree. You set a routine, you should stick to it."

"What are we having?" Parker asked.

"Eggplant Parmesan," Booth answered just as his wife appeared in the doorway with the dish in question.

"Awesome!" Parker exclaimed with a fist pump. "You'll love it, Mom. It tastes just like chicken."

**BnBnBnBnBnBnB**

Dinner progressed well with both couples letting Parker direct the light conversation which surrounded mostly the food and his upcoming school project.

Soon, the meal was over and it was time for the adults to enter into the more serious conversation.

"Parker," his mother said. "Did you bring your homework?"

"Yes ma'am," he answered. "But I left my backpack it the car."

"Go get it," she told him. "And you can go up to your room and work on your homework while we talk for a while."

"But I thought I was gonna get to talk, too," he said.

"You will, son," Booth said. "But your mom, Brent, Bones and I have to talk by ourselves for a while first. Listen to your mother and go work on your homework."

Brennan and Booth cleared the table while Parker went to get his homework. They brought out coffee and sat back down at the table. The silence was thick as neither couple knew exactly where to begin. When they were certain Parker was upstairs and out of earshot, Booth spoke first.

"In the interest of full disclosure," he said. "I want you to know that Bones and I talked to our lawyer today."

"What?" Rebecca responded, shooting a glare in the direction of her ex. "I thought this was just a friendly discussion, Seeley."

"It is, Rebecca," he responded, his voice soft and yet full of steel at the same time. "But I just wanted to make sure I knew my options before we sat down to talk."

"Your options?" she replied.

"Yeah," he answered. "For years, you've been telling me that I don't have any rights and that you don't have to let me see Parker. Now, we all know that isn't true. But you are a lawyer, and you do know more about it than I do… I just thought we needed an even playing field."

"Even playing field?" she practically spat. "Look around you, Seeley. I think we left even playing field in the dust about fifty-thousand square feet ago…"

"It's only…" Brennan began to correct Rebecca's hyperbole, but Booth stopped her with a hand to her forearm.

"We're not going there, Rebecca," Booth said sternly. "This is not about my house, or my wife, or our money… it's about _our_ son and what he wants and needs."

"He's ten, Seeley. He doesn't know what he wants," Rebecca said. "This place is a resort. Of course he wants to be here, it's like being on vacation all the time."

"I said it before, and I'll say it again. It's just a house, Becs. And it's not like he's at Disneyland or something. It's real life when he's here, too. He has chores and homework just like he does at your house."

Rebecca scoffed but didn't speak, so Booth went on.

"He has to keep his room picked up and make his bed," he told her. "He has to clean up after himself in the bathroom, he takes out the trash and helps me with the yard work. Bones is a taskmaster when it comes to homework, he has to put away his clothes when the laundry is done, he helps with the dishes after dinner and he's learning to cook."

Rebecca slumped in her chair and rolled her eyes. Seeley always did have all the answers.

In a mirror image of the couple across the table, Brent reached out and touched Rebecca's arm.

"Let's try to be reasonable about this, guys," he said. "It's naturally going to be hard for Rebecca to think about giving up time with Parker. He's lived with her primarily for his entire life…"

"Which is exactly why I want him to spend more time with us," Booth replied. "He's ten years old and I've only had him every other weekend… if I'm lucky… his whole life. Rebecca just jerks him away from me whenever the whim strikes her. It's not fair. It's not fair to me, and it's not fair to Parker. And it ends now."

A tiny shiver ran down Brennan's spine. She was proud of how calm her husband was being. He was keeping his cool, but refusing to back down. She found this side of him incredibly arousing, and felt an increase to that constant pang she'd been feeling… her need to have a baby with him was growing exponentially with his protectiveness and possessiveness of his son.

"So what are you saying, Seeley?" Rebecca asked. "That _I_ should have him every other weekend?"

"Of course not," Booth said. "That wouldn't be any more fair to you than it's been to me. I think we should try to find something that is more equitable for everyone. Now, Parker suggested one week on, one week off… but only because that's what his friend does. I would love something like that, but I don't know if it's feasible for everyone."

"What about school?" Rebecca asked. "We live on the other side of town."

"That's not a problem," Brennan spoke up. "We can drive him to school when he's with us. Rebecca, I want you to know that Parker is a priority for me, as well. I love him very much, and I think that it would be beneficial to his development if he were to spend more time with his father during this crucial time…"

"Crucial time?" Rebecca asked.

"He is beginning adolescence," Brennan answered, nodding. "And while I'm sure that Brent is an excellent role model, nature dictates that this is an integral bonding time between fathers and sons…"

"You think that's it?" Rebecca asked, looking directly at Booth.

"What do you mean?" he replied.

"I mean, do you really think it's not about the big house with a pool?" she asked. "No offense, I mean, I know he wants to spend time with you… but I really thought it was more about being here than being with you. Do you think Temperance is right and it's just part of growing up?"

"Temperance is usually right," he replied with a warm smile in his wife's direction. "But yeah, we've been talking and I think he just feels like he needs me a little more right now…"

"He used to need me," Rebecca said quietly, looking down into her coffee cup.

"He'll always need you, Bec," Booth replied. "Seriously, this isn't about him wanting to come here and play or about me wanting to take him away from you. I respect the rules you set out for him, I always have. We've always agreed on keeping the rules the same at both Mom's and Dad's. Parker's a good kid, he's not playing us or trying to get out of anything."

"Neither of us was ever good at sharing," Rebecca said with a smile.

"No, we weren't," Booth agreed, chuckling. "So, what do you say Becs? Can we share our kid?"

"I think so," she replied. "Do you want to try the every-other-week shared custody agreement?"

"Really?" Booth asked, his face reflecting the wonder of a child at Christmas.

Rebecca nodded, biting her lip.

Booth looked to his wife for support. She could tell that he was wavering. He was on the edge of falling back into his old pattern of taking what Rebecca was offering rather than pushing for what he wanted. She nodded almost imperceptibly, giving him the strength to say what he needed to say next.

"I think we need to have a legal agreement this time," he said.

Fire flashed in Rebecca's eyes, but it passed just as quickly. She knew this was about what was best for Parker and he was right.

"I'll have one of the guys in the office draw something up," she offered.

"Okay," Booth replied, "but I'd like our attorney to be involved, too."

"Is that really necessary?" Rebecca asked.

"I think it is," Booth said. "And there's something else…"

"What, Seeley?"

"I think we should have Temperance and Brent declared Parker's legal guardians," he said, looking up at three shocked pairs of eyes. He waited for a moment before continuing. "It makes sense," he said. "If something were to happen to either of us, I would feel better knowing that they would still have a place in his life… they both have committed themselves to him. Brent has shown that to me time and time again, and I know how Bones feels about him. I need to know that if something happened to me, she would still be allowed to be there for him…"

Booth paused as he began to choke up, and Brennan reached over to take his hand. She entwined her fingers through his and gave them a gentle squeeze.

Rebecca looked at the couple and then over at her own husband. She realized that what Booth was saying made sense and after all, all any of them wanted was what was best for Parker.

She nodded her assent.

"So, that's it?" Booth said.

"There is one other thing," Brennan said as the other three looked at her. "Parker. We need to bring him in and let him have his say before we make any final decisions, right?"

"Temperance is right," Rebecca said. "Let's have a chat with our son."


	30. The Right Time

**AN- Thank you to those who pointed out that Rebecca's husband had a multiple personality disorder in the last chapter! I have fixed that, and he should have been "Brent" all along. Hope you enjoy this one. As always, please read and review… you make my day! **

Chapter 30

The Right Time

Brennan came back downstairs with Parker, and took her seat next to her husband. With the two couples seated at the dining table and facing each other, Parker took his dad's usual seat at the head of the table.

"Parker's finished his homework," Brennan said.

"Yep, and Bones checked it for me before we came downstairs," Parker replied, looking toward his mother. "So that's all done."

"That's great, Bub," Rebecca said. "So…"

"Did you guys decide if I get to stay here more?" Parker asked, his smile of enthusiasm belying the slight trepidation in his voice.

"Maybe," Booth replied. "We have a pretty good idea what we think will work, but we want to know what you think. Did you have something you wanted to tell us?"

Parker sat quietly, suddenly nervous with the prospect of all four of his parents looking at him.

"It's okay, Parks," Brent said. "Take your time."

Booth was genuinely impressed with the way the other man handled his son. He had always been a little jealous of all the time Brent got to spend with Parker, but at the same time he was glad to know that Rebecca's husband really cared for their son.

"Parker," Brennan said. "You told your dad that you wanted to stay here with us more. Can you tell us why?"

The boy worried his bottom lip between his teeth, and looked back and forth between the couples.

"Well," he said slowly. "It's just that…" He let out a long sigh. "I guess, I just really wanted to be with Dad more. I mean…"

With another sigh, he looked toward Brent as he bit his lip again.

"Brent is a great step-dad, but…"

Brent nodded in understanding and Booth decided to try to diffuse the situation with a little levity.

"We know, Parks," his father said with a smile. "Brent is great, I've always thought he was _fantastic_…" he added with a wink toward his son.

The comment earned him a glare from Rebecca, a snort from his son, a kick under the table from Brennan and a sincere "Thanks, Booth," from Brent.

"Okay, so we've got the why and we all understand it Parks," Rebecca said. "What do you think would be enough time for you to stay with your dad?"

"Well," Parker said, his brow furrowed in earnest concentration. "I told Dad how Tommy lives with his mom for a week and then with his dad for a week…"

"And is that what you would want to do?" Booth asked.

"I think so," Parker nodded. "If it's okay with you guys."

"That's a big change, Parks," Rebecca said. "And it's going to mean changes not only for you, but for your dad and Temperance, too."

Booth glared at Rebecca.

"I'm not saying I think it's a bad idea," she said, immediately correcting Booth's misconception. "I just want you to realize what it means for everyone. For example, when you're here your dad and Temperance are going to have to drive you to school. That means you'll have to get up a lot earlier to be ready to drive across town…"

"We'll all have some adjusting to do," Brennan said. "But your mom is right, that will be a sacrifice for you," she added with a smile. She knew how much her Booth boys liked their sleep. Sometimes it wasn't easy to get Parker up on weekends for morning soccer games. She could only imagine what it would be like on a school day.

A warm smile covered Booth's face as he looked at his wife lovingly. Sometimes the depth and breadth of her love for him and his son still overwhelmed him.

"What we're saying Park-O," Booth said, "is that we think that it will work if you stay with us for a week and then with your mom and Brent for a week… but once we start this, we're going to follow through with it. The rules will be the same here as they are at Mom's and you'll have chores at both houses… "

"Yes sir," Parker answered solemnly, biting back the wide smile that threatened to cover his face.

"And there's a little more," Booth said. "Mom and I know that you respect Brent and Bones as your _other_ parents, and we're really proud of you for that. But we think that it's important to take it a step further. We're going to ask a judge to make them your legal guardians. That just means that like Mom and I, they will be legally responsible for what happens to you…"

"You mean like they're gonna _adopt_ me?" Parker asked.

"Not exactly," Rebecca answered. "Dad and I will always be your parents, but we want Brent and Temperance to be allowed to be your parents, too… like if anything were to happen to me or your dad, our partner would still be a part of your life…"

"We all love you, Parks," Brent said, stepping in for his wife. "And this is just our way of making sure you're always taken care of."

"Kind of like when I married your dad," Brennan said. "We got married so that the government and other people would recognize the commitment we made to each other… this is just a way for the commitment that Brent and I have made to you to be recognized."

Parker nodded.

"Okay," he said. "That makes sense. Thanks, Bones."

Again, Booth shook his head in awe. Leave it to his wife to break it down and explain it to Parker in a way that he'd understand with out dumbing it down. He loved the way she respected his kid.

**BnBnBnBnBnBnB**

Friday evening rolled around, and Brennan found that she was tired as she stood outside the doors of the Jeffersonian. For once, she was pleased to be leaving the lab before six o'clock. She shouldered her bag and smiled as she saw her husband's SUV pull up in front of the building. She walked down the stairs and climbed into the vehicle before he had a chance to get out and open her door.

"Hi," she said as she got in.

"Hi," he answered, leaning over to greet her with a quick kiss.

"How was your day?" she asked.

"Uneventful," he said. "Missed you at lunch," he added. "Sweets says hello, by the way."

"You had lunch with Sweets?"

He nodded.

"If it's any consolation, my lunch with Charlotte didn't go much better," she said, closing her eyes and leaning back against the headrest.

"Yeah?"

"She wants me to go on a signing tour," she said without opening her eyes.

"But?"

"But I don't want to," she answered. "I've got too much going on here. I've got new interns starting at the museum and new classes at the university… we've got the new arrangement with Parker starting in a couple of weeks…"

He waited for a few moments after she trailed off, but spoke up when she never completed her thought.

"You all right, Babe?"

"I'm just tired," she answered, reaching out to take his hand.

"We can reschedule with Benson," he offered.

"No," she answered. "I'll be fine."

"Bones," he said. "You look exhausted. Let me take you home, run you one of those lavender bubble baths that you like so much and fix you some dinner. We can meet with Benson another time."

"No, Booth," she said, sitting up to look at him. "I told you, I'm fine. We need to get this appointment with Dr. Benson out of the way so that you can get back to work. You've been champing at the bit to get back in the saddle," she said, smiling. "I would think you'd be ready to see the elephant as soon as possible," she added with a giggle.

"No more John Wayne movies for you," he said with a laugh. "That was three cowboy metaphors in one sentence. Who are you and what have you done with my wife?"

"I'm still your wife," she replied, knowing that he loved hearing her say so. "And although it's been a long week, and your idea of a bubble bath sounds exquisite, we need to meet with Dr. Benson. We can do the bubble bath afterwards," she said. "And you can join me," she added with a wicked grin and a raised eyebrow.

**BnBnBnBnBnBnB**

Booth held his hand to Brennan's back as he guided her from the main anteroom through Benson's kitchen and into the dining room. He smiled when she looked up at him quizzically.

"It's a very casual therapeutic environment around here," he whispered into her ear.

"Seeley!" Benson said, entering from the other side of the room. "Good to see you." He walked over to the couple and reached out his hand to his patient's wife. "Dr. Brennan," he said. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

Brennan smiled warmly… she could immediately see why Booth liked this man so much.

"The pleasure is mine, Dr. Benson. Please," she told him, "call me Temperance. And thank you for seeing us on such short notice."

"Nonsense," he said. "I know how badly Seeley here is ready to wrap this up so I can sign off on his return-to-duty. Dr. Sweets and I did that this afternoon, by the way. Tonight is really just a formality."

Surprised, Brennan looked up at the man beside her. Booth just shrugged his shoulders in response.

"Temperance," Benson said, showing Brennan to her seat at the table. "I'm sure that Seeley has told you we run a pretty informal ship around here."

"He might have mentioned something," she said with a smile and a twinkle in her eye.

Booth sat down at the place next to Brennan as Benson went on to explain.

"I'm impressed with Seeley's progress," he said, still speaking directly to Brennan. "And I do think he's ready to go back to work. But I wanted to spend some time with the two of you together. There are some things that will come up that only you will be able to help him with, and I want to be sure that you're both prepared for that."

Dinner went well. Brennan found Benson to be engaging and interesting. She answered his questions without finding them intrusive. She felt more comfortable with the idea of being able to help Booth should he experience any recurring symptoms of the PTSD, and she was even more sure now that it was time for them to have a child together.

"And you seem rather certain that now is the right time for you to have a child," Benson said, over a bite of sorbet.

"I am," Brennan agreed, addressing her answer to her husband rather than his therapist.

"Really?" Booth answered.

She nodded, with a smile.

"Even with everything that's going on?" he asked, repeating her earlier litany of things on her to-do list. "Your new classes and new interns and having Parker on a more regular basis…"

"Yes, Booth," she told him, with a look in her eyes that he didn't quite recognize. "I'm quite certain that now is the right time for us to have a baby."

She waited a moment for realization to dawn on him, but it didn't seem to. She realized then that this was a topic better suited for when they were alone, and set about changing the subject.

"Dr. Benson," she said, reaching for her bag. "Seeley tells me that you are interested in my books," she said, uncomfortable using the word 'fan.' She handed him one of the books that she'd brought from her meeting with Charlotte that afternoon, carefully checking that it was the one she'd signed for he psychologist. "This is a copy of my next book," she told him as she handed it to him. "It will be released to the public in September, but I thought you might enjoy an advanced copy."

"Thank you, Temperance," Benson said, accepting the book from her. "And please, it's Donovan," he said with a smile. I'll be the envy of my book club. I'll admit I did ask Seeley if he thought you would sign a book for me, but I never expected something like this."

"Donovan," she replied. "You've more than just a therapist, you've been a good friend to Booth… and this is the very least I can do to repay that. Thank you."

"You're welcome," the therapist answered.

"Uh… still here, guys," Booth replied, with a hint of both amusement and annoyance.

"Sorry, Seel," Benson said with a laugh. "I didn't mean to monopolize your wife."

"You're forgiven," Booth replied, taking Brennan's hand in his. "Just don't let it happen again."

The three enjoyed a lively conversation over coffee, mostly about Brennan's book, the topic of a Brennan-Booth baby seemingly forgotten for the time-being. After a while, Booth caught his wife mid-yawn and took that as his cue.

"Well, Benson," he said. "I think it's time we get going. It's been a long week and it's getting late."

Brennan smiled gratefully at her husband. Even though she had insisted that they not cancel the meeting, she was more than ready to go home.

"Sure," their host said, standing. He reached out to shake Seeley's hand. "Don't be a stranger," he told him. "Just 'cause you're not required to see me anymore doesn't mean I couldn't still use your help on that Mustang. You're the best garage hand I've had in a long time," he added with a chuckle.

"You're on," Booth said. "And then you can come out to our place and help me with the GTO. That beast has been on blocks so long, it's gonna take a miracle to get her running again."

"Just make sure you take some time to work on her," Benson said. "It will be a useful relaxation tool for you." He turned to the woman at Booth's side. "Temperance," he said. "It was wonderful to finally meet you. After spending so much time with Seeley, I felt as if I already knew you, but this was very nice. Oh, and thank you again for the book, too."

"Again, you're welcome," she said. "And thank you… for everything. We're going to be having a barbeque in a few weeks to celebrate the end of summer, and I'd like it very much if you would come."

"I'd love to," he replied. "Thank you."

"I'll let you know when we've made the plans," Booth said, placing his hand on his wife's back and guiding her toward the door. "Thanks again for dinner, it was great."

Benson stood in the doorway watching the younger couple as they made their way to their car. They were going to be all right, of that he was sure.

**BnBnBnBnBnBnB**

When they arrived at home, Brennan excused herself and made her way directly to their bedroom. The day, the whole week really, had taken more of a toll on her than she cared to admit.

She smiled to herself when she imagined Booth's reaction to her surprise. She knew she had about ten minutes while he walked the main floor of the house, checking locks on doors and windows as was his habit.

Booth made his rounds and made his way upstairs. He opened the door to the bedroom and smiled as he took in the scene. His wife was nowhere to be found, but soft music was playing from her iPod, docked on her nightstand, and candles were flickering around the darkened room.

He assumed that she was in the bathroom, and remembering her earlier offer to share her bath, he began to move in that direction. It was then that he noticed the small box laying on his pillow. It was wrapped in silver paper with a bright blue bow on the top. He recognized the wrapping from Parker's birthday… she must've had it left over. He bit his lip and looked from the box to the bathroom door. He couldn't decide which present he should open first.

He realized that she'd left the box for him to find and she must want him to open it. He sat down on the bed and picked up the box. He pulled the bow untied and lifted the top off the box. Inside, he found a copy of the book that she had given Benson earlier in the evening.

He opened it to the dedication page, and read:

_For my husband…_

_For his patience, for his love, for his guidance._

_Booth, you are the real Andy Lister._

_All my love,_

_Bones_

He smiled as he realized the gift she'd given him by making that announcement for all the world to see. In that instant, he stomach dropped and his hands began to shake. He realized that there was more to this gift and he turned the page back to see another dedication… this one in her delicate handwriting.

_So, "Dad," Do you think Parker's going to be excited to be a Big Brother next April?_

_I love you._

_Always Yours, _

_Bones_

He dropped the book on the bed, and ran to join his wife… the love of his life… the mother of his child… in the bath, stripping his clothes as he went.

The End

**I know!**

**I didn't expect it to end there, either. :- )**

**Thank you for taking this ride with me. It has been fun, and it's truly been a labor of love, but I feel that we've come to the end of our journey, as Booth and Brennan are beginning theirs. I think we accomplished everything I set out to do… and then some. So, now if about 250 of you will review this chapter so I can hit 1000 that would be really great. (I'm kidding! But to those of you who have read and not reviewed, now that we're through… if you want to take a minute and tell me what you thought, I would really appreciate it!) And to those who have been reviewing all along- Thank You! I mean that, from the bottom of my heart. It means so much. **

**You know what to do … one more time, hit that little button down there and let me know your thoughts!**

**~LJ**


	31. AN

Just a quick note to let you know I'm posting the sequel to this story…. "The Family in the Fieldwork."


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